r?^. 


^ 


DEC   6  1917 


Sectioe      TT  8^ 


SMITH'S  ACCOUNT  OF  TAKING  THE  "GOLDEN  BIBLE"  FROM  MORMON  HILL. 


ORIGIN,  RISE,  AND   PROGRESS 


^i^^^'  ■ '• 


(      DEC   6  19 

MORMONISM 


^%5SlCAl  ^i 


BIOGRAPHY  OF  ITS  FOUNDERS  AND  HISTORY  OF 
ITS  CHURCH. 


PERSONAL     REMEMBRANCES    AND    HISTORICAL     COLLECTIONS 
HITHERTO    UNWRITTEN. 


By   POMEROY  TUCKER, 

PALMYRA,    N.   T. 


NEW  YORK : 

D.    APPLETON     AND     COMPANY. 

443  &  445  BROADWAY. 

1867. 


Entered,  according  to  Act  of  Cougress,  in  the  year  1S67,  by 

POMEEOT  TUCKEE, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  of  the  United  States  for  the 

Northern  District  of  New  Tork. 


PREFACE 


MoRMONiSM,  in  its  progress  and  maturity,  has  attained 
a  conspicuous  page  in  the  annals  of  our  century.  Yet  a 
fiiU  account  of  the  remarkable  sect,  beginning  v/ith  its 
origin  and  rise,  and  circumstantially  disclosing  the  earlier 
designs  and  delusions  of  its  founders,  has  hitherto  re- 
mained unwritten.  The  facts  and  reminiscences  contained 
in  this  volume,  based  upon  the  author's  personal  knowl- 
edge and  information,  are  produced  to  fill  the  blank  and 
supply  the  omitted  chapters  in  Mormon  history. 

Chronologically  tracing  the  Church  of  Latter-D^y 
Saints,  from  its  singularly  humble  starting-point,  through 
a  wonderfully  successful  career  of  domination  by  crafty 
leaders  over  blind  infatuation,  to  its  assumed  dignity  of  a 
newly-revealed  gospel  dispensation,  with  its  extraordinary 
hierarchal  powers  and  pretensions,  this  truthfal  narrative 
is  necessary  to  the  completion  of  the  history  from  the 
foundation  of  the  institution.  Events  and  incidents,  which 
at  their  occurrence  were  viewed  by  enlightened  minds  as 
too  insimiificant  for  serious  thouo-ht,  are  now  rescued  from 
oblivion  for  record  and  preservation,  as  important  illus- 


4  PREFACE. 

trations  of  tlie  gTOiindwork  of  a  stiipeiidoiis  imposture  at- 
taining an  extended  influence  and  world-wide  notoriety. 
In  claimino'  for  the   statements  herein   set  forth  the 

o 

character  of  fairness  and  authenticity,  it  is  perhaps  appro- 
priate to  add  in  this  connection,  that  the  locality  of  the 
malversations  resulting  in  the  Mormon  scheme,  is  the  au- 
thor's birthplace  ;  that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  "  Joe 
Smith,"  the  first  Mormon  prophet,  and  with  his  father  and 
all  the  Smith  family,  since  their  removal  to  Palmyra  from 
YeiTQont  in  1816,  and  during  their  continuance  there  and 
in  the  adjoining  town  of  Manchester ;  that  he  was  equally 
acquainted  with  Martin  Harris  and  Oliver  Cowdery,  and 
with  most  of  the  earlier  followers  of  Smith,  either  as 
money-diggers  or  Mormons  ;  that  he  established  at  Pal- 
myra, in  1823,  and  was  for  many  years  editor  and  pro- 
prietor of  the  Wayne  Sentinel,  and  was  editorially  con- 
nected with  that  paper  at  the  printing  by  its  press  of  the 
original  edition  of  the  "  Book  of  Mormon  "  in  I'gSO  ;  that 
in  the  progress  of  the  work  he  performed  much  of  the 
reading  of  the  proof-sheets,  comparing  the  same  with  the 
manuscript  copies,  and  in  the  mean  time  had  frequent  and 
familiar  inten^iews  with  the  pioneer  Mormons,  Smith,  Cow- 
dery, and  Harris ;  that  he  was  present  at  the  repeated  con- 
sultations and.  negotiations  between  these  men  and  Mr. 
Grandin  in  relation  to  the  printing  of  the  book,  and 
united  with  the  latter  in  the  friendly  admonitions  vainly 
seeking  to  divert  Harris  from  his  persistent  fanaticism  in 
that  losing  speculation. 


PREFACE.  O 

For  corroboratory  references,  the  author  is  permitted 
to  name  Messrs.  Joseph  Capron,  Russell  Stoddard,  Barton 
Stafford,  and  Russell  M.  Rush,  of  Manchester,  N.  Y. ;  and 
Messrs.  George  Beckwith,  George  W.  Cuyler,  Richard  S. 
Williams,  Willard  Chase,  John  H.  Gilbert,  and  Joseph  C. 
Lovett,  of  Palmyra ;  who,  with  himself  (excej)t  the  last  two 
named),  were  contemporaries  and  neighbors  of  Smith  and 
his  family  for  the  whole  period  of  their  residence  in  this 
locality,  and  all  of  whom  were  famihar  with  their  char- 
acter and  pursuits,  and  with  their  money-digging  repu- 
tation and  fabulous  "  Golden  Bible  "  discovery. 

The  data  for  the  later  chapters  of  this  Mormon  his- 
tory, have  been  obtained  from  private  correspondence,  per- 
sonal communications,  official  records,  and  various  pub- 
lished works. 

POMEROY  TUCKER. 

Palmyra,  K  Y.,  May,  1867. 


LETTER   OF   THURLOW   WEED. 

Mr.  Weed  resided  at  Rochester,  near  the  scene  of 
Smith's  dekisive  practices,  at  the  time  of  the  inception 
and  development  of  the  Mormon  invention,  and  knew 
either  personally  or  by  common  fame  the  chief  impostor 
and  his  followers.     The  letter  below  will  explain  itself: 

New  York,  June  1,  1867. 
Dear  Sir  :  I  have  been  so  constantly  occupied,  that  I 
really  did  not  get  time  to  say  how  much  I  was  interested 


6  PKEFACE. 

in  your  history  of  Mormonism.  I  have  long  hoped  that 
some  person  with  personal  knowledge  of  the  origin  of  this 
great  delusion — who  saw  it  as  I  did,  when  it  was  "no 
bigger  than  a  man's  hand, "  and  who  has  the  conrage  and 
capacity  to  tell  the  w^hole  truth,  would  undertake  the  task. 
I  read  enough  of  your  manuscript  to  be  confident  that 
you  have  discharged  this  duty  faithfully.  The  character 
you  have  given  "Joe  Smith,"  his  family  and  associates, 
corresponds  with  what  I  have  often  heard  from  the  old 
citizens  of  Palmyra.  Such  a  work  is  wanted,  and  no  one 
but  a  writer  personally  and  familiarly  acquainted  with  the 
false  prophet  and  his  surroundings  cauld  have  written  it. 
Truly  yours, 

THUELOW  WEED. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  I. 

Biography  of  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.— Early  Life  and  Times  of  the 
Smith  Family— Their  Character  and  Employments,       .        .    11 

CHAPTER  II. 

Smith's  Money-Digging— How  it  began— Magic  Stone— A  Vision 
—Wonderful  Discoveries— Fanatics  and  Dupes,      .        .        .    19 

CHAPTER  HI. 

Mysterious  Stranger— Smith  has  a  Remarkable  Vision— He  as- 
sumes to  be  a  Prophet— Finding  of  the  Golden  Bible  and 
Urim  and  Thummim— Frightful  Phenomenon— Translations 
—How  received  by  the  Public, 27 

CHAPTER  IV. 

Budding  of  the  Mormon  Church— Proposed  Printing  of  the 
Golden  Bible —  Martin  Harris  consults  Professor  Anthon 
and  Others— Translations  lost— Mysterious  Stranger  again,  .    38 

CHAPTER  V. 

New  Translations— The  Prophet's  Cave— Printing  Contract- 
Book  completed— Harris  "  pays  the  Printer,"        ...    48 


O  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 

PAGE 

Publication  of  the  Mormon  Bible — Blooming  of  the  Church  of 
Latter-Day  Saints — Its  Patriarch  and  President — Character- 
istic Anecdote — Failure  of  "Golden  Bible"  Speculation,       .    58 

CHAPTER  VII. 

Modified  Revelation— Testimony  of  Witnesses— A  Prophet  that 
was  not  a  Prophet — Sidney  Rigdon  the  first  regular  Preacher 
of  the  New  Gospel — His  Sermon — Calvin  Stoddard  receives 
a  "  Call"— Mormon  Emigration  to  Ohio,         .        .        .        .68 

CHAPTER  VIII. 

Style  of  the  New  Revelation — Passages  from  the  Book — Scat- 
tered Tribes  —  Journey  from  Jerusalem  to  the  Promised 
Land — Their  Tribulations  in  the  Wilderness  and  at  Sea — 
Records  "  hid  up  in  the  Hill  Camorah"  pr  Mormon  Hill,      .    84 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Origin  of  the  Book  of  Mormon — Who  wrote  it? — Mormon  Le- 
gends— Solomon  Spaulding's  Fable — Rigdon  and  Smith  the 
Schemers, Ill 

CHAPTER  X. 

Kirtland,  Ohio — Maturity  of  the  Mormon  Church — Theology  of 
the  Saints — Brigham  Toung  converted — Martin  Harris  in 
Council — A  Division  of  the  Mormons  remove  to  Missouri — 
Saints  under  Proscription, •     .        .  129 

CHAPTER  XL 

Mormons  in  Missouri — Their  Prosperity  and  Adversity — ^Failure 
of  Smith's  Bank  at  Kirtland— The  Prophet  and  Young  flee 


CONTENTS.  9 

PAGE 

to  Missouri — Mob  Conflicts — Interposition  of  Government 
Authorities— The  Saints  driven  out  of  the  State— Scattered 
Tribes — Asylum  at  Nauvoo,      .......  153 


CHAPTER  XII. 

Mormons  settle  at  Nauvoo— Public  Sympathy — Accessions  and 
Conversions  —  City  Charter  — Revelations  for  Temple  and 
Nauvoo  House— Spiritual  Wifeism  and  Polygamy,         .        .  167 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Polygamous  Revelation— Vices  of  the  Saints— Criminations 
and  Recriminations  —  Conflict  with  State  Authorities — As- 
sassination of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith — Young  succeeds 
to  the  Spiritual  Dictatorship  —  Rigdon  defeated  and  ex- 
pelled,         183 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Exodus  from  Illinois — Bold  Adventure  of  Brigham  Young — Suf- 
ferings on  the  Plains — Mexican  "War  and  Mormon  Battalion 
— Arrival  at  Salt  Lake — State  of  Deseret  and  Territory  of 
Utah — ^Young  declared  ** Prophet  of  the  Lord" — Corner- 
stone of  the  New  Temple, ,  203 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Political  and  Military — Recusancy  of  Young — He  circumvents 
the  Enemy — Clandestine  Mormonism — Missionary  Success — 
Statistics  of  the  Saints — Utah,  its  Lakes  and  its  City,    .        .  224 
1* 


10  CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  XVI. 

PAOB 

Modified  Theology— Young's  Wealth— Polygamy  and  Spiritual 
Marriage — The  Prophet's  Harem — Mormon  Abominations — 
What  of  the  Future  ? .        .260 

APPENDIX. 

Letter  of  Ex-Governor  Harding — Fate  of  Parley  P.  Pratt — Tem- 
ple Project  at  Salt  Lake — Places  of  Mormon  Worship — ^Popu- 
lation of  the  City  and  Territory — The  Church  and  Polygamy — 
Young's  Tithing  Resources— Pioneer  Mormons  at  Palmyra — 
Sacred  Archives — "Command"  to  preach  the  Gospel  of 
Nephi — Statement  of  the  late  Rev.  Jesse  Townsend — War 
Romance  of  Mormonism — Institutions  of  the  Mormon  Me- 
tropolis,             ...      -V       ..  280 


MOEMONISM: 

ITS  OIIIOI]N",  RISE,  AND   PROGRESS. 


CHAPTER  I. 

Biography  of  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.— Early  Life  and  Times  of  the  Smith 
Family— Their  Character  and  Employments. 

Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  who  in  the  subsequent  pages 
appears  in  the  character  of  the  first  Mormon  prophet, 
and  the  putative  founder  of  Mormonism  and  the 
Church  of  Latter  Day  Saints,  was  born  in  Sharon, 
Windsor  County,  Vt.,  December  13,  1805.  He  was 
the  son  of  Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  who,  Avith  his  wife 
Lucy  and  their  family,  removed  from  Royalton,  Yt., 
to  Palmyra,  N.  Y.,  in  the  summer  of  1816.  The 
family  embraced  nine  children,  Joseph,  Jr.,  being  the 
fourth  in  the  order  of  their  ages,  viz.  :  Alvin,  Hyrum 
(so  spelled  by  his  father),  Soj^hronia,  Joseph,  Samuel 
H.,  William,  Catherine,  Carlos,  and  Lucy.  These 
constituted  the  chief  earthly  possessions  and  respon- 


12  MOEMONISM  : 

sibilities  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  at  the  time  of  their 
emigration  to  Western  New  York. 

At  Palmyra,  Mr.  Smith,  Sr.,  opened  a  "  cake  and 
beer  shop,"  as  described  by  his  signboard,  doing  busi- 
ness on  a  small  scale,  by  the  profits  of  which,  added 
to  the  earnings  of  an  occasional  day's  work  on  hire 
by  himself  and  his  elder  sons,  for  the  village  and 
farming  people,  he  was  understood  to  secure  a  scanty 
but  honest  living  for  himself  and  family.  These  hired 
days'  works  were  divided  among  the  various  common 
labor  jobs  that  ofiered  from  time  to  time,  such  as 
gardening,  harvesting,  well-digging,  etc. 

Mr.  Smith's  shop  merchandise,  consisting  of  gin- 
gerbread, pies,  boiled  eggs,  root-beer,  and  other  like 
notions  of  traffic,  soon  became  jDopular  with  the  ju- 
venile people  of  the  town  and  country,  command- 
ing brisk  sales,  especially  on  Fourth  of  July  anni- 
versaries, and  on  military  training  days,  as  these 
prevailed  at  that  period.  Peddling  was  done  in  the 
streets  on  those  occasions  by  the  facility  of  a  rude 
handcart  of  the  proprietor's  own  construction. 

Mr.  Smith  and  his  household  continued  their  resi- 
dence in  Palmyra  village,  living  in  the  manner  de- 
scribed, for  some  two  and  a  half  years.  In  1818 
they  settled  upon  a  nearly  wild  or  unimproved  piece 
of  land,  mostly  covered  with  standing  timber,  situate 
about  two  miles  south  of  Palmyra,  being  on  the  noith 
border  of  the  tOAvn  of  Manchester,  Ontario  County. 


ITS    ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  13 

The  title  of  this  landed  property  was  vested  in  non- 
resident minor  heirs ;  and  the  premises  being  imcared 
•for  by  any  local  agent  or  attorney,  the  Smiths  took 
possession  of  it  by  the  rights  of  "squatter  sover- 
eignty." They  thus  remained  unmolested  in  its  pos- 
session for  some  twelve  years,  occupying  as  their 
dwelling-place,  in  the  first  instance,  a  small,  one- 
story,  smoky  log-house,  which  they  had  built  prior 
to  removing  there.  This  house  was  divided  into 
two  rooms,  on  the  ground-floor,  and  had  a  low  garret, 
in  two  apartments.  A  bedroom  wing,  built  of  sawed 
slabs,  was  afterward  added. 

Subsequently  this  property  was  purchased  by  Mr. 
Smith  on  contract,  a  small  payment  thereon  being 
made  by  him  to  bind  the  bargain ;  and  in  this  way 
his  occupancy  of  the  premises  was  prolonged  until 
after  the  blooming  of  the  Mormon  scheme  in  1829. 

But  little  improvement  was  made  upon  this  land 
by  the  Smith  family  in  the  way  of  clearing,  fencing, 
or  tillage.  Their  farm-work  was  done  in  a  slovenly, 
half-way,  profitless  manner.  Shortly  before  quitting 
the  premises  they  erected  a  small  frame-house  thereon, 
partly  enclosed,  and  never  finished  by  them,  in  which 
they  lived  for  the  remainder  of  their  time  there,  using 
their  original  log  hut  for  a  barn.  This  property, 
finally  vacated  by  the  Smiths  in  1831,  is  now  included 
in  the  well-organized  farm  of  Mr.  Seth  T.  Chapman, 
on  Stafibrd  Street,  running  south  from  Palmyra. 


14:  MOKMONISM I 

The  chief  application  of  the  useful  industry  of  the 
Smiths  during  their  residence  upon  this  farm-lot,  was 
in  the  chopping  and  retailing  of  cord-wood,  the  rais- 
ing and  bartering  of  small  crops  of  agricultural  prod- 
ucts and  garden  vegetables,  the  manufacture  and  sale 
of  black-ash  baskets  and  birch  brooms,  the  making 
of  maple  sugar  and  molasses  in  the  season  for  that 
work,  and  in  the  continued  business  of  peddling  cake 
and  beer  in  the  village  on  days  of  public  doings.  It 
was  as  a  clerk  in  this  last-mentioned  line  of  trade 
that  the  rising  Joseph  (the  prophet  to  be)  learned 
his  first  lessons  in  commercial  and  monetary  science. 
And  in  this  connection  it  may  not  be  out  of  place  to 
state,  in  the  way  of  illustration  in  respect  to  the  be- 
ginning of  human  greatness  on  his  part — though  the 
mention  of  the  fact  is  by  no  means  creditable  to  the 
memory  of  the  mischievous  parties  implicated — that 
the  boys  of  those  by-gone  times  used  to  delight  in 
obtaining  the  valuable  goods  intrusted  to  Joseph's 
clerkship,  in  exchange  for  worthless  pewter  imitation 
two-shilling  pieces. 

The  larger  proj^ortion  of  the  time  of  the  Smiths, 
however,  was  spent  in  hunting  and  fishing,  trapping 
muskrats  ("mushrats"  was  the  word  they  used), 
digging  out  Avoodchucks  from  their  holes,  and  idly 
lounging  around  the  stores  and  shops  in  the  village. 
Joseph  generally  took  the  leading  direction  of  the 
rural    enterprises    mentioned,  instead    of   going    to 


ITS   ORIGIN,   RISE,   AND  PROGRESS.  15 

school  like  other  boys — though  he  was  seldom  known 
personally  to  ^participate  in  the  practical  iGorh  in- 
volved in  these  or  any  other  pursuits.  Existing  as 
they  did  from  year  to  year  in  this  thriftless  manner, 
with  seemingly  inadequate  visible  means  or  habits  of 
profitable  industry  for  their  respectable  livelihood,  it 
is  not  at  all  to  be  wondered  at  that  the  suspicions  of 
some  good  people  in  the  community  were  apt  to  be 
turned  toward  them,  especially  in  view  of  the  fre- 
quently occurring  nocturnal  depredations  and  thefts 
in  the  neighborhood.  On  these  accounts  the  inhabit- 
ants came  to  observe  more  than  their  former  vigilance 
in  the  care  of  their  sheepfolds,  hencoops,  smoke-houses, 
pork-barrels,  and  the  like  domestic  interests ;  though 
it  is  but  common  fairness  to  accompany  this  fact  by 
the  statement,  that  it  is  not  within  the  remembrance 
of  the  writer,  who  in  this  designedly  impartial  narra- 
tive would  "nothing  extenuate  nor  aught  set  down  in 
malice,"  if  the  popular  inferences  in  this  matter  were 
ever  sustained  by  judicial  investigation. 

It  is  appropriate  to  remark,  however,  that  the 
truth  of  history,  no  less  than  proper  deference  to  the 
recollections  of  many  living  witnesses  in  Palmyra  and 
its  vicinity,  demand  that  these  reminiscences  should 
be  given,  intimately  blended  as  they  are  with  the  pur- 
pose in  hand,  to  present  before  the  public  a  candid 
and  authentic  account  of  the  origin,  rise,  and  progress 
of  Mormonism,  from  its  first  foundation. 


16  MOEMONISM  : 

At  this  period  in  the  life  and  career  of  Joseph 
Smith,  Jr.,  or  "  Joe  Smith,"  as  he  w&s  universally 
named,  and  the  Smith  family,  they  were  popularly  re- 
garded as  an  illiterate,  whiskey-drinking,  shiftless,  irre- 
ligious race  of  people — the  first  named,  the  chief  sub- 
ject of  this  biography,  being  unanimously  voted  the 
laziest  and  most  worthless  of  the  generation.  From 
the  age  of  twelve  to  twenty  years  he  is  distinctly  re- 
membered as  a  dull-eyed,  flaxen-haired,  prevaricating 
boy — noted  only  for  his  indolent  and  vagabondish 
character,  and  his  habits  of  exaggeration  and  untruth- 
fulness. Taciturnity  was  among  his  characteristic 
idiosyncrasies,  and  he  seldom  spoke  to  any  one  out- 
side of  his  intimate  associates,  except  when  first  ad- 
dressed by  another ;  and  then,  by  reason  of  his  extrav- 
agancies of  statement,  his  word  was  received  with  the 
least  confidence  by  those  who  knew  him  best.  He 
could  utter  the  most  palpable  exaggeration  or  mar- 
vellous absurdity  with  the  utmost  apparent  gravity. 
He  nevertheless  evidenced  the  rapid  development  of  a 
thinking,  plodding,  evil-brewing  mental  composition 
— largely  given  to  inventions  of  low  cunning,  schemes 
of  mischief  and  deception,  and  false  and  mysterious 
pretensions.  In  his  moral  j^hrenology  the  professor 
might  have  marked  the  organ  of  secretiveness  as  very 
lar^re,  and  that  of  conscientiousness  "  omitted."  He 
was,  however,  proverbially  good-natured,  very  i*arely 
if  ever  indulging  in  any  combative  spirit  toward  any 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  lY 

one,  whatever  might  be  the  provocation,  and  yet  was 
never  known  to  laugh.  Albeit,  he  seemed  to  be  the 
pride  of  his  indulgent  father,  who  has  been  heard  to 
boast  of  him  as  the  "  genus  of  the  family,"  quoting 
his  own  expression. 

Joseph,  moreover,  as  he  grew  in  years,  had  learned 
to  read  comprehensively,  in  which  qualification  he 
was  far  in  advance  of  his  elder  brother,  and  even  of 
his  father ;  and  this  talent  was  assiduously  devoted, 
as  he  quitted  or  modified  his  idle  habits,  to  the  perusal 
of  works  of  fiction  and  records  of  criminality,  such  for 
instance  as  would  be  classed  with  the  "  dime  novels  " 
of  the  present  day.  The  stories  of  Stephen  Burroughs 
and  Captain  Kidd,  and  the  like,  presented  the  highest 
charms  for  his  expanding  mental  perceptions.  As  he 
further  advanced  in  reading  and  knowledge,  he  as- 
sumed a  spiritual  or  religious  turn  of  mind,  and  fre- 
quently perused  the  Bible,  becoming  quite  familiar 
with  portions  thereof,  both  of  the  Old  and  N'ew 
Testaments ;  selected  texts  from  which  he  quoted 
and  discussed  with  great  assurance  when  in  the  pres- 
ence of  his  superstitious  acquaintances.  The  Prophe- 
cies and  Revelations  were  his  special  forte.  His  inter- 
,  pretations  of  scriptural  passages  were  always  original 
and  unique,  and  his  deductions  and  conclusions  often 
disgustingly  blasphemous,  according  to  the  common 
apprehensions  of  Christian  peoj)le. 

Protracted  revival  meetings   were   customary  in 


18  MORMONISM  : 

some  of  the  churches,  and  Smith  frequented  those  of 
different  denominations,  sometimes  professing  to  par- 
ticipate in  their  devotional  exercises.  At  one  time  he 
joined  the  probationary  class  of  the  Methodist  church 
in  Palmyra,  and  made  some  active  demonstrations  of 
engagedness,  though  his  assumed  convictions  were  in- 
sufficiently grounded  or  abiding  to  carry  him  along  to 
the  saving  point  of  conversion,  and  he  soon  withdrew 
from  the  class.  The  final  conclusion  announced  by 
him  was,  that  all  sectarianism  was  fallacious,  all  the 
churches  on  a  false  foundation,  and  the  Bible  a  fable. 
In  nnbelief,  theory  and  practice,  the  Smith  family, 
all  as  one,  so  far  as  they  held  any  definable  position 
upon  the  subject  of  religion — basing  this  conclusion 
upon  all  the  early  avowals  and  other  evidences  re- 
membered, as  well  as  upon  the  subsequent  develop- 
ments extant — were  unqualified  atheists.  Can  their 
mockeries  of  Christianity,  their  persistent  blasphemies, 
be  accounted  for  upon  any  other  hypothesis  ? 


ITS   OKIGm,   KISE,   AND   PEOGEESS.  19 


CHAPTER  II. 

Smith's  Money-Digging — How  it  began — Magic   Stone — A  Vision — 
Wonderful  Discoveries — Fanatics  and  Dupes. 

In  September,  1819,  a  curious  stone  was  found  in 
the  digging  of  a  well  upon  the  premises  of  Mr.  Clark 
Chase,  near  Palmyra.  This  stone  attracted  partic- 
ular notice  on  account  of  its  peculiar  shape,  resem- 
bling that  of  a  child's  foot.  It  was  of  a  whitish, 
glassy  appearance,  though  opaque,  resembling  quartz. 
Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  and  his  elder  sons  Alvin  and  Hy- 
rum,  did  the  chief  labor  of  this  well-digging,  and 
Joseph,  Jr.,  who  had  been  a  frequenter  in  the  progress 
of  the  work,  as  an  idle  looker-on  and  lounger,  mani- 
fested a  special  fancy  for  this  geological  curiosity; 
and  he  carried  it  home  with  him,  though  this  act  of 
plunder  was  against  the  strenuous  protestations  of 
Mr.  Chase's  children,  who  claimed  to  be  its  rightful 
owners. 

Joseph  kept  this  stone,  and  ever  afterward  re- 
fused its  restoration  to  the  claimants.  Very  soon 
the  pretension  transpired  that  he  could  see  wonderful 


20  MOEMONISM  : 

things  by  its  aid.  This  idea  was  rapidly  enlarged 
upon  from  day  to  day,  and  in  a  short  time  his  spirit- 
ual endowment  was  so  developed  that  he  asserted 
the  gift  and  power  (with  the  stone  at  his  eyes)  of 
revealing  both  things  existing  and  things  to  come. 

For  a  length  of  time  this  clairvoyant  manifestation 
was  sought  to  be  turned  to  selfish  advantage,  in  the 
way  of  fortune-telling,  and  in  the  pretended  discovery 
by  the  medium  of  the  seer-stone  of  lost  or  stolen  prop- 
erty. But  the  realizations  from  these  sources  were  in- 
sufficient to  encourage  a  long  continuance  of  the  ex- 
periments, though  some  small  amounts  were  obtained 
by  them ;  and  a  very  worthy  citizen  now  living  in 
Palmyra  actually  paid  seventy-five  cents  in  money 
for  being  sent  some  three  miles  on  a  fool's  errand  in 
pursuit  of  a  stolen  roll  of  cloth.  It  is  presumed  to  be 
needless  to  add,  that  no  genuine  discoveries  of  stolen 
property  were  made  in  this  manner,  and  that  the 
entire  j^roceeds  derived  from  the  speculation  went 
into  Joe's  pocket. 

The  most  glittering  sights  revealed  to  the  mortal 
vision  of  the  young  impostor  in  the  manner  stated, 
were  hidden  treasures  of  great  value,  including  enor- 
mous deposits  of  gold  and  silver  sealed  in  earthen 
pots  or  iron  chests,  and  buried  in  the  earth  in  the  im- 
mediate vicinity  of  the  place  where  he  stood.  These 
discoveries  finally  became  too  dazzling  for  his  eyes  in 
daylight,  and  he  had  to  shade  his  vision  by  looking 


ITS   ORIGrN",   EISE,   AND  PEOGEESS.  21 

at  the  stone  in  his  hat !  Of  course  but  few  persons 
were  sufficiently  stolid  to  listen  to  these  silly  preten- 
sions, for  they  were  only  of  a  piece  Avith  Joe's  habitual 
extravagances  of  assertion.  Yet  he  may  have  had 
believers. 

Persisting  in  this  claim  to  the  gift  of  spiritual 
discernment,  Smith  very  soon  succeeded  in  his  experi- 
ment upon  the  credulity  of  a  selected  audience  of 
ignorant  and  superstitious  persons,  to  an  extent  which 
it  is  presumed  he  could  not  himself  have  anticipated 
at  the  outset  of  the  trial.  He  followed  up  this  advan- 
tage, and  by  its  means,  in  the  spring  of  1820,  raised 
some  small  contributions  from  the  people  in  the 
vicinity,  to  defray  the  expense  of  digging  for  the 
buried  money,  the  precise  hiding-place  of  which  he 
had  discovered  by  the  aid  of  the  stone  in  his  hat. 
At  an  appointed  time,  being  at  a  dead  hour  of  night, 
his  dupes  and  employed  laborers  repaired  with  lan- 
terns to  the  revealed  locality  of  the  treasure,  which 
was  upon  the  then  forest  hill,  a  short  distance 
from  his  father's  house ;  and  after  some  preparatory 
mystic  ceremonies,  the  work  of  digging  began  at  his 
signal.  Silence,  as  the  condition  of  success,  had  been 
enjoined  upon  the  chosen  few  present,  who  were  to  be 
sharers  in  the  expected  prize.  The  excavating  pro- 
cess was  continued  for  some  two  hours,  without  a 
word  being  spoken — the  magician  meanwhile  indi- 
cating, by  some  sort  of  a  wand  in  his  hand,  the  exact 


YiYi  MOEMONISM  : 

spot  where  the  spade  was  to  be  crowded  into  the 
earth — when,  just  at  the  moment  the  money-box  was 
within  the  seer's  grasp,  one  of  the  party,  being 
"tempted  by  the  devil,"  spoke!  The  enchantment 
was  broken,  and  the  treasure  vanished  !  Such  was 
Joe's  explanation,  and,  ridiculous  as  was  the  idea,  it 
was  apparently  satisfactory  to  his  dupes. 

This  was  the  inauguration  of  the  impostor's  money- 
digging  performances ;  and  the  description  given  of 
this  first  trial  and  of  its  results  is  as  near  exactitude 
as  can  at  this  time  be  recollected  from  his  own  ac- 
counts. Several  of  the  individuals  particij^ating  in 
this  and  subsequent  diggings,  and  many  others  well 
remembering  the  stories  of  the  time,  are  yet  living 
witnesses  of  these  follies,  and  can  make  suitable  cor- 
rections if  the  particulars  as  stated  are  not  substan- 
tially according  to  the  facts. 

The  imposture  was  renewed  and  repeated  at  fre- 
quent intervals  from  1820  to  1827,  various  localities 
being  the  scenes  of  these  delusive  searches  for  money, 
as  pointed  out  by  the  revelations  of  the  magic  stone. 
And  these  tricks  of  young  Smith  were  not  too  absurd 
for  the  credence  of  his  fanatical  followers.  He  was 
sufficiently  artful  and  persevering  to  preserve  his 
spell-liolding  power  over  their  minds,  and  keep  up  his 
deceptions  for  the  length  of  time  before  stated.  It 
certainly  evidences  extraordinary  talent  or  subtlety, 
that  for  so  long  a  period  he  could  maintain  the  po- 


ITS   OEIGLN",   EISE,   AND   PEOGRESS.  23 

tency  of  his  art  oyer  numbers  of  beings  in  tlie  form 
of  manhood,  acknowledging  their  faith  in  his  super- 
natural powers.  He  continued  to  use  this  advantage 
in  the  progress  of  his  experiments  to  raise  from  them 
and  others  contributions  in  money  and  various  arti- 
cles of  value,  amounting  to  a  considerable  aggregate 
sum,  being  enough  to  pay  the  digging  expenses 
(whiskey  and  labor),  and  also  in  this  way  securing  a 
handsome  surplus,  which  went  in  part  toward  neces- 
sary domestic  supplies  for  the  Smith  family. 

In  some  instances  individuals  were  impelled,  in 
their  donations  in  this  busiuess,  by  the  motive  of 
ridding  themselves  of  Smith's  importunities,  while 
others  advanced  the  idea  that  there  "  might  be  some- 
thing in  it,"  as  they  explained  in  reply  to  the  unfavor- 
able suggestions  of  reflecting  friends.  One  respect- 
able and  forehanded  citizen,  now  living  in  Manches- 
ter, confesses  to  having  patronized  Smith's  perse- 
verance on  this  idea,  and  says  he  once  handed  him 
a  silver  dollar,  partly  in  that  view  and  partly  to  "  get 
rid  of  the  fellow."  Smith's  father  and  elder  brothers 
generally  participated  in  the  manual  labors  of  these 
diggings,  and  theii*  example  seemed  to  revive  con- 
fidence in  the  sometimes  wavering  victims  of  the  im- 
posture, and  also  to  bring  others  to  their  aid. 

The  subsequent  operations  on  this  head  were  con- 
ducted substantially  in  the  mode  and  manner  of  the 
first  performance,  as  described,  with  flight  variations 


24  MORMONISM  ; 

in  the  incantations,  and  always  with  the  same  result — 
Smith  "  almost "  getting  hold  of  the  money-chest,  but 
finally  losing  it  by  the  coincident  breaking  of  the 
"spell"  through  some  unforeseen  satanic  interposi- 
tion. By  this  cause  the  money  would  vanish  just 
at  the  instant  of  its  coming  within  -the  necromancer's 
mortal  grasp  ! 

A  single  instance  of  Smith's  style  of  conducting 
these  money-diggings  will  sufiice  for  the  whole  series, 
and  also  serve  to  illustrate  his  low  cunning,  and  show 
the  strange  infatuation  of  the  persons  who  yielded  to 
his  unprincipled  designs.  Assuming  his  accustomed 
air  of  mystery  on  one  of  the  occasions,  and  pretend- 
ing to  see  by  his  miraculous  stone  exactly  where  the 
sought-for  chest  of  money  had  lodged  in  its  subter- 
ranean transits,  Smith  gave  out  the  revelation  that  a 
"black  sheep"  would  be  required  as  a  sacrificial  offer- 
ing upon  the  enchanted  ground  before  entering  upon 
the  work  of  exhumation.  He  knew  that  his  kind- 
hearted  neighbor,  William  Stafford,*  who  was  a  listen- 
er to  his  plausible  story — a  respectable  farmer  in  com- 
fortable worldly  circumstances — possessed  a  fine,  fat, 
black  wether,  intended  for  division  between  his  family 
use  and  the  village  market,  and  Smith  knew,  more- 
over, that  fresh  meat  was  a  rarity  at  his  father's  home 

*  Mr.  Stafford,  beginning  in  early  life,  had  been  for  many  years 
a  sailor,  and  was  largely  prone  to  the  vagaries  and  superstitions  pe- 
culiar to  his  class.  •He  was  thus  an  easy  victim. 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGKESS.  25 

where  he  lived.  The  ^scheme  succeeded  completely. 
It  was  arranged  that  Mr.  Stafford  should  invest  the 
wether  as  his  stock  in  the  speculation,  the  avails  of 
which  were  to  be  equitably  shared  among  the  com- 
pany engaging  in  it.  At  the  approach  of  the  ap- 
pointed hour  at  night,  the  digging  fraternity,  with 
lanterns,  and  the  fattened  sheep  for  the  sacrifice,  were 
conducted  by  Smith  to  the  place  where  the  treasure 
w^as  to  be  obtained.  There  Smith  described  a  circle 
upon  the  ground  around  the  buried  chest,  where  the 
blood  of  the  animal  was  to  be  shed  as  the  necessary 
condition  of  his  power  to  secure  the  glittering  gold. 
As  usual,  not  a  word  was  to  be  spoken  during  the 
ceremony,  nor  until  after  the  prize  was  brought  forth. 
All  things  being  thus  in  readiness,  the  throat  of  the 
sheep  was  cut  by  one  of  the  party  according  to  pre- 
vious instructions,  the  poor  animal  made  to  pour  its 
own  blood  around  the  circle,  and  the  excavation  en- 
tered upon  in  a  vigorous  and  solemn  manner.  In  this 
case  the  digging  was  continued  for  about  three  hours, 
when  the  "  devil "  again  frustrated  the  plan  exactly  in 
the  same  way  as  on  the  repeated  trials  before  !  In 
the  mean  time,  the  elder  Smith,  aided  by  one  of  the 
junior  sons,  had  withdrawn  the  sacrificial  carcass  and 
reduced  its  flesh  to  mutton  for  his  family  use. 

Such  is  a  true  account,  so  far  as  it  goes,  of  the 
long-continued  and  astonishingly  successful  career  of 
vice  and  deception  led  by  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  which  is 
2 


26  MOEMONISM  : 

believed  to  be  ample  in  detail  for  tlie  object  of  this 
publication.  These  delusions,  persevered  in  and  im- 
proved upon  from  time  to  time,  culminated  in  1827 
by  the  great  imposture  of  the  pretended  finding  of  the 
"  ancient  metallic  plates  resembling  gold,"  afterward 
translated  into  the  "  Golden  Bible  "  or  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, as  will  be  explained  in  subsequent  pages. 

Numerous  traces  of  the  excavations  left  by  Smith 
are  yet  remaining  as  evidences  of  his  impostures  and 
the  folly  of  his  dupes,  though  most  of  them  have 
become  obliterated  by  the  clearing  ofi"  and  tilling 
of  the  lands  where  they  were  made. 

It  is  an  interesting  illustrative  fact  to  be  noticed 
in  the  history  of  Mormonism,  as  will  hereafter  be 
seen,  that  the  origin  of  that  extraordinary  politico- 
religious  institution  is  traceable  to  the  insignificant 
little  stone  found  in  the  digging  of  Mr.  Chase's  well 
in  1819.     Such  was  the  acorn  of  the  Mormon  oak. 


ITS   OKIGIN,   EISE,   AND   PEOGEESS.  27 


CHAPTER  HI. 

Mysterious  Stranger— Smith  has  a  remarkable  Vision— He  assumes 
to  be  a  Prophet— Finding  of  the  Golden  Bible  and  Urim  and 
Thummim — Frightful  Phenomenon — Translations — How  received 
bj  the  Public. 

The  fame  of  Smith's  money-digging  performances 
liad  been  sounded  far  and  near.  The  newspapers  had 
heralded  and  ridiculed  them.  The  pit-hole  memorials 
of  his  treasure  explorations  were  numerous  in  the  sur- 
rounding fields  and  woodlands,  attracting  the  inspec- 
tion of  the  curious,  and  the  wonder  of  the  super- 
stitious. The  outgivings  of  "  spiritual  demonstra- 
tions," in  various  forms  and  in  different  parts  of  the 
country,  had  perhaps  contributed  in  preparing  the 
fanatical  mind  for  some  extraordinary  revelation. 
Notwithstanding  the  failure  of  seven  or  eight  years' 
continued  efforts  for  the  attainment  of  the  promised 
wealth  from  its  hidden  earthy  deposit,  yet  "  the  fools 
were  not  all  dead,"  and  the  time  might  have  seemed 
opportune  for  the  prediction  of  some  marvellous  dis- 
covery, and  for  the  great  "  religious  "  event  that  was 
to  follow  in  the  career  of  Joe  Smith  ! 


28  MOEMONISM  : 

This  review  comes  down  to  the  summer  of  1827. 
A  mysterious  stranger  now  appears  at  Smith's  resi- 
dence, and  holds  private  interviews  with  the  far-famed 
money-digger.  For  a  considerable  length  of  time  no 
intimation  of  the  name  or  purpose  of  this  personage 
transpired  to  the  public,  nor  even  to  Smith's  nearest 
neighbors.  It  was  observed  by  some  of  them  that 
his  visits  were  frequently  repeated.  The  sequel  of 
these  private  interviews  between  the  stranger  and 
the  money-digger  will  sufficiently  appear  hereafter. 

About  this  time  Smith  had  a  remarkable  vision. 
He  pretended  that,  while  engaged  in  secret  prayer, 
alone  in  the  wilderness,  an  "  angel  of  the  Lord "  ap- 
peared to  him,  with  the  glad  tidings  that  "  all  his 
sins  had  been  forgiven,"  and  proclaiming  further  that 
"all  the  religious  denominations  were  believing  in 
false  doctrines,  and  consequently  that  none  of  them 
were  accepted  of  God  as  of  His  Church  and  King- 
dom ; "  also  that  he  had  received  a  "  promise  that  the 
true  doctrine  and  the  fulness  of  the  gospel  should  at 
some  future  time  be  revealed  to  him.  Following  this, 
soon  came  another  angel,  (or  possibly  the  same  one,) 
revealing  to  him  that  he  was  himself  to  be  "  the  fa- 
vored instrument  of  the  new  revelation  ; "  "  that  the 
American  Indians  were  a  remnant  of  the  Israelites, 
who,  after  coming  to  this  country,  had  their  prophets 
and  inspired  writings  ;  that  such  of  their  writings  as 
had  not  been  destroyed  were  safely  deposited  in  a  cer- 


ITS    OEIGm,   ETSE,    AND   PROGRESS.  29 

tain  place  made  known  to  him,  and  to  him  only  ;  that 
they  contained  revelations  in  regard  to  the  last  days, 
and  that,  if  he  remained  faithful,  he  would  be  the  cho- 
sen prophet  to  translate  them  to  the  world." 

In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  Smith  had  yet  a  more 
miraculous  and  astonishing  vision  than  any  preceding 
one.     He  now  arrogated  to  himself,  by  authority  of 
"  the  spirit  of  revelation,"  and  in  accordance  with  the 
previous  "  promises  "  made  to  him,  a  far  higher  sphere 
in  the  scale  of  human  existence,  assuming  to  possess 
the  gift  and  power  of  "  prophet,  seer,  and  revelator." 
On  this  assumption  he  announced  to  his  family  friends 
and  the  bigoted  persons  who  had  adhered  to  his  su- 
pernaturalism,  that  he  was  "  commanded,"  upon  a  se- 
cretly fixed  day  and  hour,  to  go  alone  to  a  certain 
spot  revealed  to  him  by  the  angel,  and  there  take  out 
of  the  earth  a  metallic  book  of  great  antiquity  in  its 
origin,  and  of  immortal  importance  in  its  consequences 
to  the  world,  which  was  a  record,  in  mystic  letters  or 
characters,   of  the   long-lost   tribes  of  Israel  before 
spoken  of,   who  had  primarily  inhabited  this  conti- 
nent, and  which  no  human  being  besides  himself  could 
see  and  live  ;   and  the  power  to  translate  which  to  the 
nations  of  the  earth  was  also  given  to  him  only,  as 
the  chosen  servant  of  God  !     This  was  substantially, 
if  not  literally,  the  pretension  of  Smith,  as  related  by 
himself,  and  repeatedly  quoted  by  his  credulous  friends 
at  the  time. 


30  MOKMOOTSM  : 

Much  pains  were  taken  by  the  Smith  family  and 
the  proj^het's  money-digging  disciples  to  give  wide 
circulation  to  the  wonderful  revelation,  and  in  great 
gravity  to  predict  its  marvellous  fulfilment.  It  is 
unknown,  however,  if  the  momentous  announcement 
produced  any  sensation  in  the  community,  though  it 
is  fair  to  presume  that  the  victims  of  Smith's  former 
deceptive  practices  regarded  it  with  some  senousness. 

Accordingly,  when  the  appointed  hour  came,  the 
prophet,  assuming  his  i^ractised  air  of  mystery,  took 
in  hand  his  money-digging  spade  and  a  large  napkin, 
and  went  off  in  silence  and  alone  in  the  solitude  of  the 
forest,  and  after  an  absence  of  some  three  hours,  re- 
turned, apparently  with  his  sacred  charge  concealed 
within  the  folds  of  the  napkin.  Reminding  the  family 
of  the  original  "  command  "  as  revealed  to  him,  strict 
injunction  of  non-intervention  and  non-inspection  was 
given  to  them,  under  the  same  terrible  penalty  as  be- 
fore denounced  for  its  violation.  Conflicting  stories 
were  afterward  told  in  regard  to  the  manner  of  keep- 
ing the  book  in  concealment  and  safety,  which  are 
not  worth  repeating,  further  than  to  mention  that  the 
first  place  of  secretion  was  said  to  be  under  a  heavy 
hearthstone  in  the  Smith  fimily  mansion. 

Smith  told  a  frightful  story  of  the  display  of  celes- 
tial pyrotechnics  on  the  exposure  to  his  view  of  th« 
sacred  book — tlie  angel  who  had  led  him  to  the  dis- 
covery again  appearing  as  liis  guide  and  protector, 


ITS   OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  31 

and  confronting  ten  thousand  devils  gathered  there, 
with  their  menacing  sulphureous  flame  and  smoke,  to 
deter  him  from  his  purpose !  This  story  was  rej^eated 
and  magnified  by  the  believers,  and  no  doubt  aided 
the  experiment  upon  superstitious  minds  which  event- 
uated so  successfully. . 

Mr.  Willard  Chase,  a  carpenter  and  joiner,  was 
called  upon  by  Smith  and  requested  to  make  a  strong 
chest  in  which  to  keep  the  golden  book  under  lock 
and  key,  in  order  to  prevent  the  awful  calamity  that 
would  follow  against  the  person  other  than  himself 
who  should  behold  it  with  his  natural  eyes.  He 
could  not  pay  a  shilling  for  the  work,  and  therefore 
proposed  to  make  Mr.  Chase  a  sharer  in  the  profits 
ultimately  anticipated  in  some  manner  not  definitely 
stated;  but  the  proposition  was  rejected — the  work 
was  refused  on  the  terms  offered.  It  was  understood, 
however,  that  the  custodian  of  the  precious  treasure 
afterward  in  some  way  procured  a  chest  for  his  pur- 
pose, which,  with  its  sacred  deposit,  was  kept  in  a 
dark  garret  of  his  father's  house,  where  the  transla- 
tions were  subsequently  made,  as  will  be  explained. 
An  anecdote  touching  this  subject  used  to  be  related 
by  William  T.  Hussey  and  Azel  Yandruver.  They 
were  notorious  wags,  and  were  intimately  acquainted 
with  Smith.  They  called  as  his  friends  at  his  resi- 
dence, and  strongly  importuned  him  for  an  inspection 
of  the  "  golden  book,"  offering  to  take  upon  themselves 


32  MOEMOJfISM  : 

the  risk  of  the  death-penalty  denounced.  Of  course, 
the  request  could  not  be  complied  with;  but  they 
TN^ere  permitted  to  go  to  the  chest  witli  its  OAvner,  and 
see  ichere  the  thing  was,  and  observe  its  shape  and 
size,  concealed  under  a  jDiece  of  thick  canvas.  Smith, 
with  his  accustomed  solemnity  of  demeanor,  positively 
persisting  in  his  refusal  to  uncover  it,  Hussey  became 
impetuous,  and  (suiting  his  action  to  his  word)  ejacu- 
lated, "  Egad  !  I'll  see  the  critter,  live  or  die  ! "  And 
stripping  off  the  cover,  a  large  tile-brick  was  ex- 
hibited. But  Smith's  fertile  imagination  w^as  equal 
to  th.e  emergency.  He  claimed  that  his  friends  had 
been  sold  by  a  trick  of  his ;  and  "  treating"  with  the 
customary  whiskey  hospitalities,  the  afiiiir  ended  in 
good-nature.  . 

With  the  book  was  also  found,  or  so  pretended,  a 
huge  pair  of  spectacled  in  a  perfect  state  of  preserva- 
tion, or  the  Uriyn  and  Thummim^  as  afterward  in- 

*  The  best  attainable  definition  of  the  very  ancient  Urim  and 
Thummim  is  quite  vague  and  indistinct.  An  accepted  bibh'cal  lexi- 
cographer gives  the  meaning  as  "light  and  perfection,"  or  the 
"shining  and  the  perfect."  The  following  is  quoted  from  Butter- 
worth's  Concordance:  "There  are  various  conjectures  about  the 
Urim  and  Thummim,  whether  they  were  the  stones  in  the  high- 
priest's  breast-plate,  or  something  distinct  from  them;  which  it  is 
not  worth  our  while  to  inquire  into,  since  God  has  left  it  a  secret. 
It  is  evident  that  the  Urim  and  Thummim  were  appointed  to  inquire 
of  God  by,  on  momentous  occasions,  and  continued  in  use  (as  some 
think)  only  till  the  building  of  Solomon's  Temple,  and  all  conclude 
that  this  was  never  restored  after  its  destruction." 


ITS    OKIGm,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  33 

terpreted,  wIierQby  the  mystic  record  was  to  be 
translated  and  the  wonderful  dealings  of  God  re- 
vealed to  man,  by  the  superhuman  j^ower  of  Joe 
Smith.  This  siDcctacle  pretension,  however,  is  be- 
lieved to  have  been  purely  an  after-thought,  for  it 
was  not  heard  of  outside  of  the  Smith  family  for  a 
considerable  period- subsequent  to  the  first  story.  So 
in  regard  to  Smith's  after-averment,  that  he  had  re- 
ceived a  revelation  of  the  existence  of  the  records  in 
1823,  but  was  not  permitted  to  touch  or  mention 
them  until  "  the  fulness  of  time  "  should  come  for  the 
great  event,  this  idea  was  also  a  secondar}^  invention. 
The  marvellous  metallic  book  and  its  accompani- 
ment soon  became  a  common  topic  of  conversation, 
far  and  near;  but  the  sacred  treasure  was  not  seen  by 
mortal  eyes,  save  those  of  the  one  anointed,  until  after 
the  lapse  of  a  year  or  longer  time,  when  it  was  found 
expedient  to  have  a  new  revelation,  as  Smith's  bare 
word  had  utterly  failed  to  gain  a  convert  beyond  his 
original  circle  of  believers.  By  this  amended  reve- 
lation, the  veritable  existence  of  the  book  was  certi- 
fied to  by  eleven  witnesses  of  Smith's  selection.  It 
was  then  heralded  as  the  Golden  Bible,  or  Book 
of  Mormon,*  and  as  the  beginning  of  a  new  gospel 
dispensation.     Wonderful  stories  and  predictions  fol- 

*  Philologicallv,  "Mormon"  is  probably  synonymous  with  mormo, 
which,  according  to  Webster,  signifies  "  bugbear — false  terror."    At 
least,  this  definition  is  sufficiently  appropriate. 
2* 


34  MOKMONISM  : 

lowed  in  regard  to  the  future  "light"  and  destiny 
of  the  world,  but  these  were  for  a  time  very  crude 
and  very  conflicting,  and  therefore  scarcely  definable 
or  worth  repeating;  and  they  had  little  attraction 
for  public  notice  or  curiosity.  The  reader  will  be 
content  with  the  narration  of  these  things  as  they  ul- 
timately took  shape  and  system. 

The  spot  from  which  the  book  is  alleged  to  have 
been  taken,  is  the  yet  partially  visible  pit  where  the 
money  speculators  had  previously  dug  for  another 
kind  of  treasure,  which  is  upon' the  summit  of  wdiat 
has  ever  since  been  known  its  "Mormon  Hill,"' now 
owned  by  Mr.  Anson  Robinson,  in  the  toAvn  of  Man- 
chester, New  York. 

This  book  of  sacred  records,  after  the  dispersion 
of  the  first  vague  reports  concerning  it,  was  finally 
described  by  Smith  and  his  echoes  as  consisting  of 
metallic  leaves  or  plates  resembling  gold,  bound  to- 
gether in  a  volume  by  three  rings  running  through  one 
edge  of  them,  the  leaves  opening  like  an  ordinary  paper 
book  The  leaves  w^ere  about  the  thickness  of  common 
tin.  Each  leaf  or  plate  was  filled  on  both  sides  with 
engravings  of  finely-drawm  characters,  which  resem- 
bled Egyptian  or  other  hieroglyphics.  The  Urim 
and  Thummim,  found  with  the  records,  were  two 
transparent  crystals  set  in  the  rims  of  a  bow,  in  the 
form  of  spectacles  of  enormous  size.  This  constituted 
the  seer's  instrument  whereby  the  records  were  to  be 


ITS    OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PROGEESS.  35 

translated  and  the  mysteries  of  hidden  things  re- 
vealed, and  it  was  to  supersede  the  further  use  of  the 
magic  stone.  The  entire  sacred  acquisition  was  de- 
livered into  the  hands  of  the  prophet  by  the  heavenly 
messenger  attending  him,  amid  the  awful  surround- 
ings already  stated,  after  the  former  had  thrown  up  a 
few  spadefuls  of  earth  in  pursuance  of  the  Lord's 
command.  Such  was  Smith's  ingenious  story  at  the 
time,  the  characterization  of  which  is  left  for  the 
reader. 

Translations  and  inter23retations  were  now  entered 
upon  by  the  prophet,  and  manuscript  specimens  of 
these,  with  some  of  the  literally  transcribed  charac- 
ters, were  shown  to  people,  including  ministers  and 
other  gentlemen  of  learning  and  influence.  These 
translations  purported  to  relate  to  the  history  of 
scattered  tribes  of  the  earth,  chiefly  "ISTephites"  and 
"  Lamanites,"  who,  after  the  confusion  of  tongues  at 
the  Tower  of  Babel,  had  been  directed  by  the  Lord 
across  the  sea  to  this  then  wilderness-land,  where 
they  mostly  perished  by  wars  among  themselves,  and 
by  pestilence  and  famine,  and  from  whose  remnants 
sprang  our  l^orth  American  Indians.  They  were  an 
attempted  imitation  of  the  Scripture  style  of  composi- 
tion, containing  some  plagiarisms  from  the  Bible,  both 
the  Old  and  New  Testaments,  drawing  largely  upon 
Isaiah  and  Jeremiah,  and  taking  from  Matthew  nearly 
the  whole  of  Christ's   Sermon  on   the  Mount,  with 


36  MORMONISM  : 

some  alterations.  The  manuscripts  were  in  the  hand- 
writing of  one  Oliver  Cowdery,  which  had  been 
written  down  by  him,  as  he  and  Smith  declared,  from 
the  translations,  word  for  word,  as  made  by  the  latter 
with  the  aid  of  the  mammoth  spectacles  or  Urim  and 
Thummim,  and  verbally  announced  by  him  from  be- 
hind a  blanket-screen  drawn  across  a  dark  corner  of  a 
room  at  his  residence — for  at  this  time  the  original 
revelation,  limiting  to  the  pro23het  the  right  of  seeing 
the  sacred  plates,  had  not  yet  been  changed,  and  the 
view  with  the  instrument  used  was  even  too  brilliant 
for  his  own  spiritualized  eyes  in  the  light !  This  was 
the  story  of  the  first  series  of  translations,  which  was 
always  j)ersisted  in  by  the  few  persons  connected 
with  the  business  at  this  early  period  of  its  progress. 
The  single  significance  of  this  theory  will  doubtless 
be  manifest,  when  the  facts  are  stated  in  exj^lanation, 
that  Smith  could  not  write  in  a  legible  hand,  and 
hence  an  amanuensis  or  scribe  was  necessary.  Cow- 
dery had  been  a  schoolmaster,  and  was  the  only 
man  in  the  band  who  could  make  a  copy  for  the 
printer. 

The  manifest  purpose  of  exhibiting  these  manu- 
scripts in  the  manner  adopted,  was  to  test  the  popular 
credulity  in  regard  to  theii*  assumed  divine  character  ; 
and  also  to  determine,  by  the  responses  that  should  be 
elicited,  as  to  the  practicability  of  carrying  out  a  con- 
cocted design  of  printing  the  "  new  Bible."     Among 


ITS    OEIGIN,    RISE,    AND    PEOGEESS.  37 

others,  Mr.  George  Crane,  of  tlie  adjoining  town  of 
Macedon,  a  Quaker  of  intelligence,  property,  and  high 
respectability  (now  deceased),  was  called  upon  by 
Smith  with  several  foolscap  quires  of  these  so-called 
translations,  for  his  perusal  and  opinion,  and  also  for 
his  pecuniary  aid  to  get  the  work  through  the  press. 
The  impious  story,  in  all  its  extravagance  and  garni- 
ture, was  related  to  him,  to  which  he  quietly  listened 
to  the  end.  And.  then  came  the  answer  of  the  honest 
old  Quaker,  which  was  such  as  would,  have  been 
withering  to  the  sensibility  of  an  ordinary  impostor — 
though  Smith  was  unmoved,  by  it,  for  his  spirit  of  de- 
termination was  never  known  to  yield  consentingly 
to  any  adverse  human  influence.  Sternly  rebuking 
Smith's  pretensions,  and.  denouncing  them  as  in  a 
high  degree  blasphemous  and  wicked,  Mr.  Crane 
kindly  but  earnestly  admonished  him,  for  his*  own 
good,  to  desist  from  his  criminal  pursuit,  warning 
him  that  persistence  therein  would  be  certain  to  end 
in  his  death  upon  the  gallows,  or  in  some  equally 
ignominious  manner.  How  far  this  friendly  warning 
was  made  prophetic,  by  the  murderous  catastrophe 
occurring  fifteen  years  afterward,  in  Illinois,  is  a  ques- 
tion respectfully  submitted  to  the  reader. 


38  MOEMOOTSM  : 


CHAPTER  IV. 

Budding  of  the  Mormon  Church — Proposed  Printing  of  the  Golden 
Bible — Martin  Harris  consults  Professor  Anthon  and  Others — 
Translations  lost — Mysterious  Stranger  again. 

Undaunted  by  any  rebuffs,  Prophet  Smith  per- 
sisted in  his  grand  design,  and,  by  the  j)ower  of  his 
expanding  genius,  secured  a  few  devoted  followers  in 
this  incipiency  of  his  new  revelation — proving  that,  in 
his  case,  "  the  prophet "  was  not  w^holly  "  without 
honor "  even  in  his  "  own  country."  Here  may  be 
recognized  the  first  budding  of  the  Mormon  organiza- 
tion, or  "Church  of  Latter-Day  Saints." 

These  pioneer  Mormon  discij^les,  so  far  as  their 
names  can  now  be  recollected,  were  as  follows,  viz. : 
Oliver  Cowdery,  Samuel  Lawrence,  Martin  Harris, 
Preserved  Harris,  Peter  Ingersoll,  Charles  Ford, 
George  Proj^er  and  his  wife  Dolly,  of  Palmyra; 
Ziba  Peterson,  and  Calvin  Stoddard  and  his  wife 
Sophronia,  of  Macedon ;  Ezra  Thayer,  of  Brighton ; 
Luman    Walters,   of  Pultney  ville ;   Hiram   Page,  of 


ITS    ORIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PEOGKESS.  39 

Fayette ;  David  Whitmer,  Jacob  Whitmer,  Christian 
Whitracr,  John  Whitmer,  and  Peter  Whitmer,  Jr.,  of 
Phelps;  Simeon  Nichols,  of  Farmington ;  William 
Stafford,  Joshua  Stafford,  Gad  Stafford,  David  Fish, 
Abram  Fish,  Robert  Orr,  King  H.  Quance,  John 
Morgan,  Orrin  Ptockwell  and  his  wife  Caroline, 
Widow  Sally  Risley,  and  all  the  remainder  of  the 
Smith  family,  of  Manchester. 

It  is  believed  that  this  list  embraces  all  the  per- 
sons residing  at  or  near  the  prime  seat  of  the  Mormon 
advent,  who  from  first  to  last  made  a  profession  of  be- 
lief either  in  the  money-digging  or  golden  bible  find- 
ing pretensions  of  Joseph  Smith,  Jr. ;  and  probably, 
indeed,  not  more  than  one-half  of  these  can  be  said  to 
have  been  genuine  converts  under  the  one  head  or  the 
other.  It  is  to  be  added  in  this  connection,  however, 
that  a  man  of  the  name  of  Parley  P.  Pratt,  of  Lorain 
County,  Ohio,  who,  on  hearing  of  the  new  religion, 
after  the  Mormon  book  was  printed  (as  he  said  in  ex- 
planation of  his  movement),  stopped  off  a  canal-boat 
at  Palmyra,  and  at  Smith's  residence  embraced  the 
Mormon  faith,  and  joined  the  organization  which  had 
then  been  imperfectly  inaugurated.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  an  association  of  anti-sectarians,  mostly  dis- 
senters from  different  religious  denominations,  Avhose 
place  of  worship  was  at  Mentor,  Ohio.  "Rev.  Sid- 
ney Rigdon"  was  the  regular  minister  of  this  con- 
gregation ;  though  Pratt  himself  had  done  something 


40  MOKMONISM  : 

iu  the  way  of  preaching  there  and  elsewhere,  and 
was  aspiring  to  still  higher  position  in  the  clerical 
vocation.  The  latter,  with  his  spiritual  guide  Rigdon, 
afterward  went  with  the  first  emigrants  to  Kirtland, 
and,  continuing  his  association  with  the  new  sect,  im- 
mediately became  a  prominent  and  efficient  co-worker 
in  its  priesthood,  and  was  subsequently  an  important 
spoke  in  the  Mormon  hierarchy  at  Salt  Lake.* 

How  many  of  the  preceding  list  of  pioneer  "  Latter- 
Day  Saints  "  at  Palmyra  and  vicinity  remained  faith- 
ful, or  took  more  than  the  first  degree  in  the  new 
institution,  is  now  unknown  to  the  writer.  It  is 
recollected  that  at  least  a  portion,  perhaps  the  ma- 
jority of  them,  became  backsliders  after  a  very  brief 
experience. 

The  proposition  to  publish  the  new  revelation 
was  as  yet  an  adjourned  question.  Martin  Harris 
enthusiastically  favored  it,  and  he  was  the  man  cal- 
culated on  for  the  means  of  payment  for  the  printing. 
He  was  one  of  the  earliest,  if  not,  in  truth,  the  only 
real  believer.  He  was  a  religious  monomaniac,  read- 
ing the  Scriptures  intently,  and  could  probably  repeat 
from  memory  nearly  every  text  of  the  Bible  from  be- 
ginning to  end,  giving  the  chapter  and  verse  in  each 
case.     His  superstition  and  cupidity  were  both  ap- 

*  The  reader,  as  he  pursues  this  history,  will  discover  the  bearing 
of  the  coincidence  here  referred  to,  upon  the  questions  of  the  literary 
origin  and  prime  invention  of  the  "  Golden  Bible." 


MARTIW   HARRIS. 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  41 

pealed  to  in  this  matter.  Though  he  unreservedly 
gave  in  his  adhesion  to  the  book  as  of  diviue  appoint- 
ment, he  was  by  no  means  so  prompt  in  his  willing- 
ness to  hear  the  whole  cost  of  printing  it,  for  he  was 
proverbially  a  covetous,  money-loving  man,  but  an 
honest  and  benevolent  one.  His  habit  had  been  to 
look  out  for  the  best  chances  in  a  bargain,  and  it  was 
natural  that  he  should  desire  further  opportunity  for 
examination  and  consideration,  and  also  for  trying  his 
influence  in  proselyting — the  latter  object  being  with 
a  view  to  judging  of  the  question  of  reimbursement, 
should  he  advance  the  money  required — and  he  was 
accordingly  permitted  to  take  the  manuscript  transla- 
tions into  his  possession.  Reading  a  portion  of  them 
to  his  wife,  a  Quakeress  of  positive  qualities,  she  de- 
nounced the  whole  performance  as  silly  and  impious. 
His  neighbors  and  friends,  whom  he  importuned  and 
bored  on  the  subject,  uniformly  expressed  the  same 
sentiment  and  belief,  and  cautioned  him  against  being 
imposed  upon  and  defrauded. 

But  this  opposition  served  only  to  strengthen  ^/ 
Harris's  profession  of  faith  and  increase  his  inclination 
to  make  the  printing  investment.  Yet  he  evidenced 
some  method  in  his  madness,  for,  before  doing  so,  he 
sought  out  the  "  wisdom  of  learned  men,"  as  he  said, 
relative  to  the  genuineness  of  the  revelation  and  dis- 
covery. He  accordingly  procured  from  Smith  some 
resemblances  of  antique  characters  or  hieroglyphics 


42  MORMONISM  : 

purporting  to  be  exact  copies  from  the  plates ;  which, 
together  with  the  translations  in  his  possession,  he 
carried  to  New  York  City,  where  he  sought  for  them 
the  interpretation  and  hibliological  scrutiny  of  such 
scholars  as  Hon.  Luther  Bradish,  Dr.  Mitchell,  Profes- 
sor Anthon,  and  others.  All  the  gentlemen  applied  to 
were  understood  to  have  scouted  the  whole  pretence 
as  too  depraved  for  serious  attention,  while  commis- 
erating the  applicant  as  the  victim  of  fanaticism  or 
insanity. 

Harris,  nevertheless,  stood  firm  in  his  position, 
regarding  these  untoward  results  merely  as  "prov- 
ing the  lack  of  wisdom"  on  the  part  of  the  reject- 
ers, and  also  as  illustrating  the  truth  of  his  favorite 
quotation,  that  "  God  hath  chosen  the  foolish  things 
of  the  world  to  confound  the  wise."  This  was  always 
his  self-convincing  argument  in  re-plj  to  similar  ad- 
versity in  his  fanatical  pursuit. 

The  following  is  Professor  Anthon's  account  of 
Harris's  interview  with  him,  as  given  and  published  a 
few  years  afterward.  It  was  addressed  in  a  letter  to 
a  friend  in  reply  to  inquiries,  and  dated 

"  New  York,  February  17,  1834. 
"Some   years    ago,    a    plain,    apparently   simple- 
hearted  farmer,  called  on  me  with  a  note  from  Dr. 
Mitchell,  of  our  city,  now  dead,  requesting  me  to  de- 
cipher, if  possible,  the  paper  which  the  farmer  would 


ITS    OKIGIN,   EISI3,    AND   PEOGEESS.  43 

hand  nie.  Upon  examining  the  paper  in  question,  I 
soon  came  to  the  conclusion  that  it  was  all  a  trick — 
perhips  a  hoax.  When  I  asked  the  person  who 
brought  it  how  he  obtained  the  writing,  he  gave  me 
the  following  account:  A  'golden  book,'  consisting 
of  a  number  of  plates  fastened  together  by  wires  of 
the  same  material,  had  been  dug  up  in  the  northern 
part  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  along  with  it  an 
enormous  pair  of '  spectacles ! '  These  spectacles  were 
so  large,  that,  if  any  person  attempted  to  look  through 
them,  his  two  eyes  would  look  through  one  glass 
only — the  spectacles  in  question  being  altogether  too 
large  for  the  human  face.  '  Whoever,'  he  said,  '  ex- 
amined the  plates  through  the  glasses,  was  enabled 
not  only  to  read  them,  but  fully  to  understand  their 
meaning.' 

"  All  this  knowledge,  however,  was  confined  to  a 
young  man,  who  had  the  trunk  containing  the  book 
and  spectacles  in  his  sole  possession.  This  young 
man  was  placed  behind  a  curtain,  in  a  garret  in  a 
farm-house,  and  being  thus  concealed  from  view,  he 
put  on  the  spectacles  occasionally,  or,  rather,  looked 
through  one  of  the  glasses,  deciphered  the  characters 
in  the  book,  and  haying  committed  some  of  them  to 
paper,  handed  copies  from  behind  the  curtain  to  those 
who  stood  outside.  Xot  a  word  was  said  about  their 
being  deciphered  by  the  'gift  of  God.'  Every  thing 
in  this  way  was  effected  by  the  large  pair  of  specta- 


44:  moe:sionism  : 

cles.  The  farmer  added,  that  he  had  been  requested 
to  contribute  a  sum  of  money  toward  the  publication 
of  the  '  goklen  book,'  the  contents  of  which  would, 
as  he  was  told,  produce  an  entire  change  in  the  world, 
and  save  it  from  ruin.  So  urgent  had  been  these  soli- 
citations, that  he  intended  selling  his  farm  and  giving 
the  amount  to  those  who  wished  to  publish  the  plates. 
As  a  last  precautionary  step,  he  had  resolved  to  come 
to  New  York  and  obtain  the  opinion  of  the  'learned' 
about  the  meaning  of  the  paper  which  he  had  brought 
with  him,  and  which  had  been  given  him  as  a  part  of 

the  contents  of  the  book 

"The  paper  in  question  was,  in  fact,  a  singular 
scroll.  It  consisted  of  all  kinds  of  singular  characters, 
disposed  in  columns,  and  had  evidently  been  prepared 
by  some  person  who  had  before  him  at  the  time  a  book 
containing  various  alphabets  ;  Greek  and  Hebrew  let- 
ters, crosses  and  flourishes,  Roman  letters  inverted 
or  placed  sideways,  were  arranged  and  placed  in  per- 
pendicular columns,  and  the  whole  ended  in  a  rude 
delineation  of  a  circle,  divided  into  various  compart- 
ments, arched  with  various  strange  marks,  and  evi- 
dently copied  after  the  Mexican  calendar,  given  by 
Humboldt,  but  copied  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  betray 
the  source  whence  it  was  derived.  I  am  thus  par- 
ticular as  to  the  contents  of  the  paper,  inasmtuch  as  I 
have  frequently  conversed  with  my  friends  on  the 
subject  since  the  Mormon  excitement  began,  and  well 


ITS   OEIGIN-,    RISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  45 

remember  that  the  paper  contained  any  thing  else  but 
'  Egyptian  hieroglyphics.' 

"  Yours  respectfully, 

"  CHAKLES  ANTHON." 


Harris  appears  not  to  have  presented  the  "  transla- 
tions "  with  the  hieroglyphics  to  Professor  Anthon,  or 
if  so,  the  immaterial  fact  had  left  too  slight  an  im- 
pression for  his  recollection  at  the  time  of  writing  the 
above  statement. 

The  pursuer  after  knowledge  returned  home,  con- 
firmed rather  than  shaken  in  his  belief;  for  he  had 
taken  the  sensible  conclusions  of  the  "learned  men" 
he  had  seen  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  declaring  in  a 
boastful  spirit  that  God  had  enabled  him,  an  un- 
learned man  as  he  was,  to  "  confound  worldly  wis- 
dom." He  had  apparently  become  seized  with  the 
Golden  Bible  mania  beyond  redemption.  It  was  his 
constant  theme  wherever  he  appeared,  rendering  him, 
by  his  readings  and  commentaries,  an  object  both  of 
sympathy  and  dread  to  his  friends  and  all  whom  he 
met. 

As  might  have  been  anticipated,  Harris's  wife  be- 
came exceedingly  annoyed  and  disgusted  with  what 
she  called  her  husband's  "  craziness."  She  foresaw, 
as  she  thought,  that  if  he  incurred  the  printing  lia- 
bility, as  he  had  avowed  to  her  his  purpose  of  doing, 
the  event  Avould  be  the  ruin  of  himself  and  family. 


44  moe:monism  : 

cles.  The  farmer  added,  that  he  had  been  requested 
to  contribute  a  sum  of  money  toward  the  publication 
of  the  '  goklen  book,'  the  contents  of  which  Avould, 
as  he  was  told,  produce  an  entire  change  in  the  world, 
and  save  it  from  ruin.  So  urgent  had  been  these  soli- 
citations, that  he  intended  selling  his  farm  and  giving 
the  amount  to  those  who  wished  to  publish  the  plates. 
As  a  last  precautionary  step,  he  had  resolved  to  come 
to  Kew  York  and  obtain  the  opinion  of  the  '  learned ' 
about  the  meaning  of  the  paper  which  he  had  brought 
with  him,  and  which  had  been  given  him  as  a  part  of 

the  contents  of  the  book 

"The  paper  in  question  was,  in  fact,  a  singular 
scroll.  It  consisted  of  all  kinds  of  singular  characters, 
disposed  in  columns,  and  had  evidently  been  prepared 
by  some  person  who  had  before  him  at  the  time  a  book 
containing  various  alphabets  ;  Greek  and  HebrcAV  let- 
ters, crosses  and  flourishes,  Roman  letters  inverted 
or  placed  sideways,  were  arranged  and  placed  in  per- 
pendicular columns,  and  the  whole  ended  in  a  rude 
delineation  of  a  circle,  divided  into  various  compart- 
ments, arched  with  various  strange  marks,  and  evi- 
dently copied  after  the  Mexican  calendar,  given  by 
Humboldt,  but  copied  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  betray 
the  source  Avhence  it  was  derived.  I  am  thus  par- 
ticular as  to  the  contents  of  the  paper,  inasmuch  as  I 
have  frequently  conversed  with  my  friends  on  the 
subject  since  the  Mormon  excitement  began,  and  well 


ITS   OKIGm,    RISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  45 

remember  that  the  paper  contained  any  thing  else  but 
'  Egyptian  hieroglyphics.' 

"  Yours  respectfully, 

"  CHARLES  ANTHON." 

Harris  appears  not  to  have  presented  the  "  transla- 
tions "  with  the  hieroglyphics  to  Professor  Anthon,  or 
if  so,  the  immaterial  fact  had  left  too  slight  an  im- 
pression for  his  recollection  at  the  time  of  writing  the 
above  statement. 

The  pursuer  after  knowledge  returned  home,  con- 
firmed rather  than  shaken  in  his  belief;  for  he  had 
taken  the  sensible  conclusions  of  the  "learned  men" 
he  had  seen  by  the  rule  of  contraries,  declaring  in  a 
boastful  spirit  that  God  had  enabled  him,  an  un- 
learned man  as  he  was,  to  "  confound  worldly  wis- 
dom." He  had  apparently  become  seized  with  the 
Golden  Bible  mania  beyond  redemption.  It  was  his 
constant  theme  wherever  he  appeared,  rendering  him, 
by  his  readings  and  commentaries,  an  object  both  of 
sympathy  and  dread  to  his  friends  and  all  whom  he 
met. 

As  might  have  been  anticipated,  Harris's  wife  be- 
came exceedingly  annoyed  and  disgusted  with  what 
she  called  her  husband's  "  craziness."  She  foresaw, 
as  she  thought,  that  if  he  incurred  the  printing  lia- 
bility, as  he  had  avowed  to  her  his  purpose  of  doing, 
the  event  would  be  the  ruin  of  himself  and  family. 


48  MOEMONISM  : 


y 


CHAPTER  V. 

New  Translations— The  Prophet's  Cave— Printing  Contract— Book 
completed— Harris  "  pays  the  Printer." 

The  loss  of  the  first  translations  cliecked  for  a 
time  tlie  progress  of  Mormon  events.  But  Smith, 
Harris,  and  their  abiding  associates  were  seemingly- 
undismayed.  Some  six  months  passed  when  the  an- 
nouncement was  given  out  that  a  new  and  coraj^lete 
translation  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  had  been  made  by 
the  prophet,  which  was  ready  for  the  press.  In  the 
interim  the  stranger  before  spoken  of  had  again  been 
seen  at  Smith's ;  and  the  prophet  had  been  away  from 
home,  may-be  to  repay  the  former's  visits.  The  bear- 
ing of  these  circumstances  upon  any  important  ques- 
tion can  only  be  left  to  reasonable  conjecture  in  refer- 
ence to  the  subsequent  developments.  The  second 
manuscripts,  like  the  first,  were  in  Cowdery's  hand- 
writing. 

The  work  of  translation  diis  time  had  been  done 
in  the  recess  of  a  dark  artificial  cave,  which  Smith 
had  caused  to  be  dug  in  the  east  side  of  the  forest-hill 


ITS    ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  49 

near  his  residence,  now  owned  by  Mr.  Amos  Miner. 
At  least  such  was  one  account  given  out  by  the  Mor- 
mon fraternity  ;  though  another  version  was,  that  the  / 
prophet  continued  to  pursue  his  former  mode  of  trans- 
lating behind  the  curtain  at  his  house,  and  only  went 
into  the  cave  to  pay  his  spiritual  devotions  and  seek 
the  continued  favor  of  Divine  Wisdom.  His  stays  in 
the  cave  varied  from  fifteen  minutes  to  an  hour  or 
over — the  entrance  nftanwhile  being  guarded  by  one 
or  more  of  his  disciples.  This  ceremony  scarcely 
attracted  the  curiosity  of  outsiders,  though  it  was 
occasionally  witnessed  by  men  and  boys  living  near 
the  scene. 

This  excavation  was  at  the  time  said  to  be  one 
hundred  and  sixty  feet  in  extent,  though  that  is  prob- 
ably an  exaggeration.  It  had  a  substantial  door  of 
two-inch  plank,  secured  by  a  corresponding  lock. 
From  the  lapse  of  time  and  natural  causes  the  cave 
has  been  closed  for  years,  very  little  mark  of  its 
former  existence  remaining  to  be  seen. 

Encouraged  by  the  continued  favoring  hallucination 
of  Harris,  an  active  canvass  was  now  commenced  by 
the  Mormons  for  the  printing.  Harris  was  the  only  / 
man  of  property  or  credit  known  in  all  Mormondom ; 
and,  as  will  appear,  he  happened  to  be  exactly  the  ap- 
propriate subject  for  the  prophet's  designs ;  for  with- 
out his  timely  aid  and  pecuniary  sacrifice  the  Golden 
Bible  would  probably  have  remained  forever  an  un- 


50  MOEMONISM  : 

published  romance.  And,  as  has  already  been  inti- 
mated, lie  alone  was  depended  upon  for  the  means  to 
pay  for  its  printing,  for  no  other  man  of  the  whole 
Mormon  tribe  could  have  raised  a  dollar  of  his  own 
money  for  that  or  any  other  object.  He  was  a  pros- 
perous, independent  farmer,  strictly  upright  in  his 
business  dealings,  and,  although  evidencing  good 
qualifications  in  the  affairs  of  his  industrial  calling, 
yet  he  was  the  slave  of  the  peculiar  religious  fanat- 
icism controlling  his  mental  organization.  "  Marvel- 
lousness "  being  his  predominating  phrenological  de- 
velopment, he  was  noted  for  the  betrayal  of  vague 
superstitions — a  belief  in  dreams,  ghosts,  hobgoblins, 
"  special  providences,"  terrestrial  visits  of  angels,  the 
interposition  of  "devils"  to  afflict  sinful  men,  etc. 
He  was  the  son  of  Nathan  Harris,  an  early  settler 
in  Palmyra,  and  aged  about  forty-three  years.  His 
family  consisted  of  a  wife,  one  son,  and  tv/o  daugh- 
ters. 

This  was  the  position  of  Martin  Harris  in  the  com- 
munity at  this  important  turning-period  in  his  life  and 
career.  In  June,  1829,  Smith  the  prophet,  his  brother 
Hyrum,  Cowdery  the  scribe,  and  Harris  the  believer, 
applied  to  Mr.  Egbert  B.  Grandin,  then  publisher  of 
the  Wai/72e  Sentinel  at  Palmyra  (now  deceased),  for 
his  price  to  do  the  work  of  one  edition  of  three  thou- 
sand copies.  Harris  offered  to  pay  or  secure  payment 
if  a  bargain  should  be  made.     Only  a  few  sheets  of 


ITS    ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  51 

the  manuscript,  as  a  specimen,  with  the  title-page, 
were  exhibited  at  this  time,  though  the  whole  number 
of  folios  was  stated,  whereby  could  be  made  a  calcu- 
lation of  the  cost.  Mr.  Grandin  at  once  expressed  his 
disinclination  to  entertain  the  proposal  to  print  at  any 
price,  believing  the  whole  affair  to  be  a  wicked  im- 
posture and  a  scheme  to  defraud  Mr.  Harris,  who  was 
his  friend,  and  whom  he  advised  accordingly.  This 
admonition  was  kindly  but  firmly  resisted  by  Harris, 
and  resented  with  assumed  pious  indignation  by  the 
Smiths,  Cowdery  taking  little  or  no  part  in  the  con- 
versation. Some  further  parleying  followed,  Harris 
resolutely  persisting  in  his  deafness  to  the  friendly 
expressions  of  regard  from  Mr.  Grandin,  and  also 
from  several  other  well-dis230sed  neighbors  happening 
to  be  present  at  the  interview,  who  vainly  united  in 
the  effort  to  dissuade  him  from  his  purpose.  After- 
ward, however,  it  was  thought  Harris  became  for  a 
time  in  some  degree  staggered  in  his  confidence  ;  but 
nothing  could  be  done  in  the  way  of  printing  without 
his  aid,  and  so  the  prophet  persevered  in  his  spell- 
binding influence  and  seductive  arts,  as  will  be  seen, 
with  ultimate  success.  Further  interviews  followed, 
Grandin  being  earnestly  importuned  to  reconsider  his 
opinion  and  determination.  He  was  assured  by  Har- 
ris, that  if  he  refused  to  do  the  work,  it  would  be  pro- 
cured elsewhere.  And  the  subject  was  temporarily 
dropped,  except  that  Grandin  complied  with  Harris's 


62  MOKMONISM  : 

request  for  an  approximate  estimate  of  the  cost  of  the 
proposed  edition. 

Immediately  thereafter,  the  same  Mormon  party, 
or  a  portion  of  them,  applied  to  Mr.  Thurlow  Weed, 
of  the  Anti-Masonic  Inquirer  at  Rochester,  from 
whom  they  met  a  similar  repulse.  Mr.  Weed's  own 
words  in  regard  to  the  manuscript  and  the  printing 
proposal  are  :  "  After  reading  a  few  chapters, .  it 
seemed  such  a  jumble  of  unintelligible  absurdities, 
that  we  refused  the  work,  advising  Harris  not  to 
mortgage  his  farm  and  beggar  his  family."  Mr.  Elihu 
F.  Marshall,  a  book  publisher,  also  at  Rochester,  was 
then  applied  to,  and  he  gave  his  terms  for  the  print- 
ing and  binding  of  the  book,  with  his  acceptance  of 
the  proffered  mode  of  security  for  the  payment. 

Whereupon,  the  "saints"  returned  to  Palmyra, 
and  renewed  their  request  to  Mr.  Grandin,  reassuring 
him  that  the  work  was  to  be  done  at  any  rate,  and 
pleading  that  they  would  be  saved  much  incon- 
venience and  cost  of  travel  to  have  the  printing  done 
at  Palmyra,  where  they  lived,  especially  as  the  manu- 
scripts were  to  be  delivered  and  the  proof- sheets  ex- 
amined daily  by  them  at  the  printing-office. 

It  was  upon  this  statement  of  the  facts,  and  in  this 
view  of  the  case,  that  Mr.  Grandin,  on  taking  the  ad- 
vice of  several  discreet,  fair-minded  neighbors,  finally 
reconsidered  his  course  of  policy,  and  entered  into 
contract  for  the  printing  and  binding  of  five  thousand 


ITS    ORIGm,    EISE,    AND   PKOGKESS.  63 

copies  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  at  the  price  of  |3,000, 
taking  Harris's  bond  and  mortgage  as  offered  in  se- 
curity for  payment.  The  contract  was  faithfully  and 
satisfactorily  fulfilled  by  both  parties,  and  the  book  in 
its  entire  edition  as  bargained  for  was  completed  and 
delivered  early  in  the  summer  of  1830.  ^ 

In  the  beginning  of  the  printing  the  Mormons 
professed  to  hold  their  manuscripts  as  "sacred,"  and 
insisted  upon  maintaining  constant  vigilance  for  their 
safety  during  the  progress  of  the  work,  each  morning 
carrying  to  the  printing-office  the  instalment  required 
for  the  day,  and  withdrawing  the  same  at  evening. 
No  alteration  from  copy  in  any  manner  was  to  be 
made.  These  things  were  "  strictly  commanded,"  as 
they  said.  Mr.  John  H.  Gilbert,  as  printer,  had  the 
chief  operative  trust  of  the  type-setting  and  press- 
work  of  the  job.  After  the  first  day's  trial  he  found 
the  manuscripts  in  so  very  imperfect  a  condition,  es- 
pecially in  regard  to  grammar,  that  he  became  un- 
willing further  to  obey  the  "  command,"  and  so  an- 
nounced to  Smith  and  his  party  ;  when,  finally,  npon 
much  friendly  expostulation,  he  was  given  a  limited 
discretion  in  correcting,  which  was  exercised  in  the 
particulars  of  syntax,  orthography,  punctuation,  capi- 
talizing, paragraphing,  etc.  Many  errors  under  these 
heads,  nevertheless,  escaped  correction,  as  appear  in 
the  first  edition  of  the  printed  book.  Very  soon,  too 
— after  some  ten  days — the  constant  vigilance  by  the 


/ 


54  MORMONISM  : 

MormoDS  over  the  manuscripts  was  relaxed  by  reason 
of  the  confidence  they  came  to  repose  in  the  printers. 
Mr.  Gilbert  has  now  in  his  possession  a  complete 
copy  of  the  book  in  the  original  sheets,  as  laid  off  by 
him  from  the  press  in  working. 

It  may  be  due  to  the  memory  of  Mr.  Grandin,  in 
relation  to  this  Golden  Bible  printing  contract,  to 
mention  the  fact  that  Mrs.  Harris,  who  had  so  stren- 
uously objected  to  her  husband's  fanatical  course, 
fully  conceded  the  propriety  of  Mr.  Grandin's  action 
under  the  circumstances  as  they  existed. 

Meanwhile,  Harris  and  his  wife  had  separated  by 
mutual  arrangement,  on  account  of  her  persistent  un- 
belief in  Mormonism  and  refusal  to  be  a  j)arty  to  the 
mortgage.  The  family  estate  was  divided,  Harris 
giving  her  about  eighty  acres  of  the  farm,  with  a 
comfortable  house  and  other  property  as  her  share  of 
the  assets ;  and  she  occupied  this  property  until  the 
time  of  her  death.  The  main  farm  and  homestead, 
about  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of  land,  was  re- 
tained by  himself,  the  mortgage  covering  only  this 
portion  ;  but  Mormonism,  more  than  farming  or  other 
business,  ever  afterward  engaged  his  attention,  and 
this  was  the  beginning  of  adversity  which  ultimately 
reduced  him  to  poverty. 

The  farm  mortgaged  was  sold  by  Harris  in  1831 
at  priA^ate  sale,  not  by  foreclosure,  and  a  sufiiciency 
of  the  avails  went  to  pay  Grandin — though  it  is  pre- 


sumed  Harris  might  have  paid  the  $3,000  without  the 
sale  of  the  farm.  This  was  among  the  best  properties 
of  the  kind  in  the  town.  Most  of  it,  including  the 
homestead  portion,  is  the  same  now  owned  by  Mr. 
Thomas  Chapman,  a  mile  and  a  half  north  of  the  vil- 
lage of  Palmyra, 

As  will  be  seen,  Harris  was  led  to  believe  that  the 
book  would  be  a  profitable  speculation  for  him,  and 
very  likely  in  this  may  be  traced  his  leading  motive 
for  taking  the  venture.  He  v/as  vouchsafed  the  secu- 
rity of  a  "special  revelation"  commanding  that  the 
new  Bible  should  in  no  instance  be  sold  at  a  less  price 
than  "  ten  shillings,"  and  that  he  himself  should  have 
the  exclusive  right  of  sale,  with  all  the  avails — the 
only  purpose  of  the  Mormon  saints  being  the  unselfish 
one  to  "  get  the  great  light  before  the  world  for  the 
salvation  of  mankind  ! "  Indeed,  he  figured  up  the 
profits  with  all  the  certainty  of  their  realization,  that 
the  most  enthusiastic  calculator  would  feel  in  "  count- 
ing his  chickens  before  they  are  hatched."  Like  thou- 
sands of  fortunes  made  on  paper,  this  process  by  Har- 
ris was  an  easy  matter,  thus :  5,000  books  at  $1.25 
per  book,  $6,250.  First  cost,  $3,000.  Showing  a  clear 
speculation  of  over  one  hundred  per  cent,  upon  the 
investment ! 

In  October  following  (1829),  the  printing  was  con- 
siderably advanced,  and  the  ultimate  issue  of  the 
Book  of  Mormon  had  become  a  fixed  fact.     The  2:>i'int- 


56  MOEMONISM  : 

ing  was  done  upon  a  hand-press,  and  the  type  of  one 
form  had  to  be  distributed  before  another  could  be  set 
up  ;  and  of  course  this  will  account  for  the  tardiness 
of  the  work.  But  the  first  and  second  books  of 
"  Nephi,"  and  some  other  portions  of  the  forthcoming 
revelation,  were  printed  in  sheets  ; — and  armed  Avith  a 
copy  of  these,  Smith  commenced  other  preparations 
for  a  mission  to  Pennsylvania,  where  he  had  some 
relatives  residing,  and  where  the  before-mentioned 
"Rev.  Sidney  Rigdon "  was  then  residing  or  tempo- 
rarily sojourning.  His  wardrobe  needed  replenishing, 
and  Harris,  wdio  was  abundantly  able  to  do  as  he  did, 
and  withal  counting  on  his  prospective  profits  in  the 
bible  speculation,  procured  for  him  a  new  black  suit, 
remarking  to  the  merchant  of  whom  he  bought  the 
cloth,  that  as  the  prophet  was  going  on  a  mission  to 
preach  the  new  gospel,  it  was  necessary  that  he  should 
"appear  comely  before  men;"  and  consequently  or- 
dered the  best  pattern  in  the  store.  Mr.  David  S. 
Aldrich,  now  a  prominent  dry-goods  merchant  in  Pal- 
myra, sold  the  cloth  as  a  clerk  at  that  time.  The  re- 
sult was,  that  in  November,  Smith  went  to  Northern 
Pennsylvania,  as  previously  appointed,  w^here  he  mar- 
ried the  daughter  of  Isaac  Hale,  and  was  baptized 
after  the  Mormon  ritual — Rigdon  being  the  "  match- 
maker" and  the  ofiiciating  "clergyman"  in  these  cele- 
brations. Mr.  Hale,  the  father-in-law,  never  became 
a  Mormon. 


ITS   OEIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PROGEESS.  57 

Smith  soon  returned  to  Palmyra,  to  complete  his 
grand  design,  having  made  on  this  occasion,  so  far  as 
known,  no  sensation  as  a  preacher,  nor  any  progress 
in  his  proselyting  mission  beyond  his  nuptial  capture. 

3* 


58  MOEMONISM  : 


CHAPTER  VI. 

Publication  of  the  Mormon  Bible — Blooming  of  the  Church  of  Latter- 
Day  Saints— Its  Patriarch  and  President — Characteristic  Anec- 
dote— Failure  of  "Golden  Bible"  Speculation. 

The  newly  revealed  gospel  having  been  opened  to 
the  world  in  a  printed  book,  Prophet  Smith  and  his 
disciples  proceeded  to  a  more  perfect  organization  of 
their  church  for  its  practice  and  dissemination.  This 
ceremony,  conducted  with  aj^parent  seriousness  by 
the  jorophet,  suj^ported  on  the  right  and  left  by  Cow- 
dery  and  Harris — of  which  it  is  now  too  late  to  give 
the  full  particulars  from  memory — took  jDlace  in  the 
dwelling-house  of  Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  in  the  month 
of  June,  1830.  There  was  no  praying,  singing,  or 
preaching  attempted,  but  Joseph  gave  various  read- 
ings and  interpretations  of  the  new  bible.  The  senior  / 
Smith  was  installed  "  Patriarch  and  President  of  the 
Church  of  Latter-Day  Saints  ; "  while  Cowdery  and  J 
Harris  were  nominated  vicegerents  to  the  prophet,  or 
dignitaries  of  equivalent  import,  and  a  limited  com- 
mission of  priesthood   and  prophecy  was   conferred 


ITS    OKIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  59 

upon  them  "by  the  prophet,  accompanied  by  tlie  "lay- 
ing on  of  hands  "  and  other  ceremonious  obser\^ances, 
adding  great  "promises"  of  future  spiritual  endow- 
ment, to  depend  in  an  essential  manner  on  their  fidelity 
and  efficiency  in  the  trust  already  reposed  in  them. 

The  participants  generally  in  this  incipient  church 
inauguration  were  the  individuals  named  as  the  pio- 
neer saints  in  a  preceding  chapter,  with  perhaps  few 
changes  pro  and  con.  The  rite  of  baptism  by  im- 
mersion v/as  administered  by  the  prophet  to  Cowdery 
and  Harris  at  their  particular  request — a  pool  for  that 
purpose  having  been  created  by  constructing  a  dam 
across  the  brook  near  the  place  of  meeting  ;  and  then 
the  other  baptisms  on  this  occasion  were  conducted  by 
Cowdery,  including  in  these  benefits  both  the  aged 
parents  of  the  revelator,  Page,  Mrs.  Rockwell,  Dolly 
Proper,  and  several  of  the  Whitmer  brothers.  So  far 
as  can  be  recollected  of  the  proceedings,  as  verbally 
reported  at  the  time,  no  others  were  then  baptized ; 
but  afterward  this  baptismal  service  was  extended  to 
all  the  saints  who  had  not  already  been  the  favored 
subjects  of  that  ritual,  Cowdery  continuing  to  officiate 
in  these  solemnities. 

The  prophet  himself  was  not  baptized  in  this  in- 
stance, the  explanation  of  the  omission  being,  as 
stated  by  some  of  the  faithful,  that  he  was  elevated 
far  above  "  worldly  baptism  "  by  reason  of  his  "  spirit- 
ual sphere  ; "  but  another  account — doubtless  the  ac- 


y 


y 


vl 


J 


CO  MOEMONISM  : 

ceptecl  one — assigned  as  the  reason  in  the  case  that  he 
had  previously  received  the  ordinance  in  Pennsylvania 
by  the  ministration  of  "  Brother  Rigdon,"  and  was  the 
first  Mormon  baptized  since  the  times  of  the  primitive 
Nephites. 

A  few  days  after  this  preliminary  launching  of  the 
Mormon  ship  Zion — this  primeval  foundation  of  the 
Mormon  theocracy — some  ten  or  twelve  of  the  saints 
went  to  JJ^^^ette,  in  an  adjoining  county,  where  similar 
observances  were  had  in  the  formation  of  a  church. 
There  were  about  thirty  persons  in  attendance  on  this 
occasion,  believers  and  spectators,  and  a  number  of 
new  converts  were  reported,  Cowdery  again  j^erform- 
ing  the  baptismal  service.  But^Hnally,  it  was  found 
that  the  prophet's  own  country  was  an  unfavorable 
locality  for  success  in  this  wonderful  religious  specu- 
lation ;  the  new  gospel  was  held  in  light  repute  by  the 
"  Gentile  "  people  ;  conversions  did  not  come  up  to  the 
anticipations  of  the  leaders ;  and  in  the  course  of  the 
same  year  these  pioneer  Mormons  emigrated  to  Ohio. 

Now,  let  the  reader's  attention  be  carried  back  to 
the  commencement  of  the  Golden  Bible  publication. 
The  book,  as  a  money-making  enterj^rise,  fell  dead  be- 
fore the  public.  As  a  religious  demonstration,  it  was 
received  by  the  community  as  "stale,  flat,  and  ful- 
some." It  w^as  repulsive  to  the  popular  common- 
sense,  and,  beyond  the  minds  of  its  preexistent  devo- 
tees,  simply   awakened   contempt   and   ridicule.      It 


ITS    OEIGm,    KISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  61 

found  no  buyers,  or  but  very  few.  So  that  the  glit- 
tering visions  of  Harris  and  others,  who  might  have 
thought  as  he  had  done,  seemed  to  turn  out  as  illusory 
as  had  been  those  of  Smith's  money-digging  dupes. 
Hence  another  ''  command "  became  necessary  in  re- 
gard to  the  sale  of  the  book,  after  a  few  weeks'  faith- 
ful but  unsuccessful  trial  of  the  market  by  Harris  as  a 
monopolist  salesman.*  This  was  easily  called  down 
by  Smith  in  favor  of  his  patriarch  father.  Time 
passed,  and  yet  the  disappointment  was  un alleviated. 
The  patriarch  having  been  permitted  by  this  changed 
revelation,  with  the  consent  of  Harris,  to  appropriate 
a  portion  of  the  avails  of  sales  toward  his  family 
necessities,  he  effected  some  sales,  chiefly  in  barter 
trades,  on  accommodating  terms  for  the  purchasers  of 
the  books,  always  nominally  maintaining  the  revealed 
price  of  ten  shillings,  to  avoid  the  awful  penalty  of 
"instant  death"  for  any  departure  from  it.     Pedes- 

*'Harris  was  proverbially  a  peaceful  as  well  as  an  honest  man. 
He  was  slow  to  retaliate  an  offence.  The  following  anecdote  will  show 
what  manner  of  man  he  was.  Urging  the  sale  of  the  book  with  pertina- 
cious confidence  in  the  genuineness  of  the  Smith  revelation,  he  fell  into 
debate  about  its  character  with  a  neighbor  of  an  irascible  tempera- 
ment. His  opponent  became  angry,  and  struck  him  a  severe  blow 
upon  the  right  side  of  his  face.  Instantly  turning  toward  the  assail- 
ant the  other  cheek,  he  quoted  the  Christian  maxim,  reading  it  from 
the  book  in  his  hand,  page  481  (as  it  also  appears  in  Matthew) : 
""Whosoever  shall  smite  thee  on  the  right  cheek,  turn  to  him  the 
other  also." 


62  MOEMONISM  : 

trian  peddling  jaunts  were  made  in  the  neigliboring 
villages  and  surrounding  country,  and  books  peddled 
off  by  him  in  exchange  for  various  articles  of  farmers' 
produce  and  shop  merchandise,  such  as  "  wouldn't 
come  amiss  for  family  use  in  hard  times."  In  this 
way  considerable  improvement  was  made  in  the  old 
"saint's"  exchequer.  Harris,  meanwhile,  seemed  to 
stand  firm  in  his  adhesion  to  the  book's  divinity,  and 
always  had  at  his  tongue's  end  an  amplitude  of  scrip- 
tural and  Mormonic  quotations  of  "  promises,"  giving 
satisfactory  assurance  of  his  ultimate  pecuniary  and 
spiritual  salvation. 

Many  appropriate  incidents  might  be  related  from 
the  memory  of  individuals  yet  livmg  at  the  original 
scene  of  this  blooming  of  the  Mormon  Church,  illus- 
trative of  the  shallowness  of  the  great  imposture ;  but 
which,  given  in  detail,  would  surfeit  the  reader's  curi- 
osity. A  single  anecdote  will  sufiice  to  show  the 
degree  of  sincerity  attached  to  the  pretended  "  com- 
mandment price"  of  the  book. 

The  Patriarch  and  President  of  the  Mormon 
Church  was  now  preparing  to  remove  with  his  family 
to  Ohio,  where  the  Prophet  Joseph  and  his  brother 
Hyrum,  with  others  of  the  faith,  had  already  preceded 
them,  and  it  was  necessary  to  procure  some  articles 
of  outfit.  In  pursuance  of  this  object,  he  took  a 
basket  of  "bibles"  in  his  hand  and  Avalked  to  Pal- 
myra village,  where  he  had  usually  done  his  small 


ITS    ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  63 

traffic,  and  where  sundry  unadjusted  little  scores 
were  ready  to  confront  him,  which  his  overplus  book 
avails  and  other  resources  had  been  insufficient  to 
liquidate.  By  the  then  prevailing  legal  system  for 
the  collection  of  debts  (residing,  as  he  did,  over  the 
county  line  from  Palmyra),  he  made  himself  liable  to 
suit  by  warrant  and  also  detention  in  imprisonment 
for  non-payment.  But  necessity  being  his  master,  he 
had  taken  the  incautious  venture,  and  soon  found 
himself  in  the  constable's  custody  at  the  suit  of  a 
creditor  for  a  small  book  account.  The  parties  ap- 
peared before  A.  R.  Tiffany,  Esq.,  a  justice  of  the" 
peace  for  Wayne  County,  by  whom  the  warrant  had 
been  issued.  After  some  preliminary  parleying  by 
the  debtor,  he  invited  and  enjoyed-  a  private  inter- 
view with  the  creditor  in  an  adjoining  room.  The 
debt  and  costs  had  now  reached  the  aggregate  of 
|5.63.  The  embarrassments  in  the  case,  after  some 
brief  discussion,  were  found  to  be  of  a  difficult 
nature.  At  last,  laying  the  good-natured  claimant 
under  strict  confidential  injunction,  and  referring 
v>^ith  solemn  air  to  the  "  command  "  by  which  he  was 
empowered  to  sell  his  Mormon  work  only  at  the  price 
of  $1.25  per  copy,  the  crafty  "patriarch"  proposed, 
nevertheless,  on  the  express  condition  that  his  per- 
fidy should  not  be  exposed,  the  offer  of  seven  books 
in  full  for  the  demand,  being  a  fraction  more  than 
eighty  cents  apiece.     The  joke  was  relished  as  too 


64  MOEMONISM  : 

good  to  go  unpatronized,  and  thougli  tlie  books  were 
not  regarded  as  possessing  any  value,  the  claimant, 
more  in  a  spirit  of  mischief  than  otherwise,  accepted 
the  compromise  accordingly.  The  finale  was,  that 
the  Mormon  saint  was  permitted  to  slip  home  from  a 
side  door,  to  avoid  like  importunities  from  other  cred- 
itors, and  it  is  believed  this  was  his  last  appearance 
in  Palmyra  by  daylight. 

Such  was  the  advent,  and  such  the  popular  recep- 
tion of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  and  the  Church  of  the 
Latter-Day  Saints  founded  thereon  as  its  corner-stone, 
at  the  place  of  their  professed  origin.  The  book  has 
since  gone  through  many  editions  in  the  different 
languages  of  the  civilized  world.     The  title-page  is  as 

follows : 

"THE 

"BOOK    or    MOEMON; 

"an  account  "WRITTEN  BY  THE  HAND  OF  MORMON,  UPON  PLATES   . 
TAKEN  FROM  THE  PLATES  OF  NEPHI. 

"Wherefore  it  is  an  abridgment  of  the  Eecord  of  the  people  of 
Nephi ;  and  also  of  the  Lamanites ;  written  to  the  Lamanites, 
which  are  a  remnant  of  the  House  of  Israel ;  and  also  to  Jew  and 
Gentile ;  written  by  way  of  commandment,  and  also  by  the  spirit 
of  Prophecy  and  of  Revelation.  Written,  and  sealed  up,  and  hid 
up  unto  the  Lord,  that  they  might  not  be  destroyed ;  to  come  forth 
by  the  gift  and  power  of  God  unto  the  interpretation  thereof; 
sealed  by  the  hand  of  Moroni,  and  hid  up  unto  the  Lord,  to  come 
forth  in  due  time  by  the  way  of  Gentile ;  the  interpretation  thereof 
by  the  gift  of  God :  an  abridgment  taken  from  the  Book  of  Ether. 

"  Also,  which  is  a  Record  of  the  People  of  Jared,  which  were  scattered 
at  the  time  the  Lord  confounded  the  language  of  the  people  when 


ITS    ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  65 

they  were  building  a  tower  to  get  to  Heaven ;  which  is  to  show 
unto  the  remnant  of  the  House  of  Israel  how  great  things  the 
Lord  hath  done  for  their  fathers ;  and  that  they  may  know  the 
covenants  of  the  Lord,  that  they  are  not  cast  off  forever ;  and  also 
to  the  convincing  of  the  Jew  and  Gentile  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ, 
the  External  God,  manifesting  Himself  unto  all  nations.  And 
now  if  there  be  fault,  it  be  the  mistake  of  men ;  wherefore  con- 
demn not  the  things  of  God,  that  ye  may  be  found  spotless  at  the 
judgment-seat  of  Christ. 

"By  Joseph  Smith,   Junior, 
"  Author  and  Proprietor. 

"  Palmyra : 

"  Printed  by  E.  B.  Grandin,  for  the  Author. 

"  1830." 

In  revised  editions  as  printed  at  Nauvoo  and  Salt 
Lake,  the  prima  facie  inconsistency  of  styling  Smitli 
the  "  Author  and  Proprietor "  of  the  book,  as  above 
seen  to  have  been  originally  assumed,  is  removed  by 
denominating  him  as  "Translator"  only.  The  first 
edition  also  contained  a  precautionary  "preface"  in 
reference  to  the  lost  translations  before  mentioned, 
which  is  omitted  in  the  revised  editions.  It  is  in  the 
following  words : 

"  To  THE  Reader — 

"  As  many  false  reports  have  been  circulated  re- 
specting the  following  work,  and  also  many  unlawful 
measures .  taken  by  evil-designing  persons  to  destroy 
me,  and  also  the  work,  I  would  inform  you  that  I 
translated,  by  the  gift  and  power  of  God,  and  caused 
to  be  written,  one  hundred  and  sixteen  pages,  the 


66  MOEMONISM  : 

whicli  I  took  from  the  Book  of  LeM,  wMch  was  an 
account  abridged  from  the  plates  of  Lelii,  by  the 
hand  of  Mormon ;  which  said  account,  some  person  or 
persons  have  stolen  and  kept  from  me,  notwithstand- 
ing my  utmost  exertions  to  recover  it  again — and 
being  commanded  of  the  Lord  that  I  should  not 
translate  the  same  over  again,  for  Satan  had  put  it 
into  their  hearts  to  temj^t  the  Lord  their  God,  by 
altering. the  words,  that  they  did  read  contrary  from 
that  which  I  translated  and  caused  to  be  written  ;  and 
if  I  should  bring  forth  the  same  words  again,  or,  in 
other  words,  if  I  should  translate  the  same  over  again, 
they  would  publish  that  which  they  had  stolen,  and 
Satan  would  stir  up  the  hearts  of  this  generation,  that 
they  might  not  receive  this  work:  but  behold,  the 
Lord  said  unto  me,  I  will  not  suffer  that  Satan  shall 
accomplish  his  evil  design  in  this  thing;  therefore 
thou  shalt  translate  from  the  plates  of  ]^ej)hi,  until 
ye  come  to  that  which  ye  have  translated,  Avhich  ye 
have  retained ;  and  behold,  ye  shall  publish  it  as  the 
record  of  K'ephi ;  and  thus  I  will  confound  those  who 
have  altered  my  words.  I  will  not  suffer  that  they 
shall  destroy  my  w^ork;  yea,  I  will  show  unto  them 
that  my  wisdom  is  greater  than  the  cunning  of  the 
devil.  "Wherefore,  to  be  obedient  unto  the  command- 
ments of  God,  I  have,  through  His  grace  and  mercy, 
accomplished  that  which  he  hath  commanded  me  re- 
specting this  thing.     I  would  also  inform  you  that 


ITS    ORIGIN-,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  67 

the  plates  of  which  hath  been  spoken,  were  found  in 
the  township  of  Manchester,  Ontario  County,  IsTew 
York. 

"  THE  AUTHOR." 

This  Mormon  revelation  is  divided  into  various 
hooks,  which  are  here  given  in  the  order  as  they  ap- 
pear in  the  printed  work,  viz. :  "  The  First  Book  of 
Nephi,  his  Reign  and  Ministry,"  seven  chapters; 
"  The  Second  Book  of  Nephi,"  fifteen  chapters ;  "  The 
Book  of  Jacob,  the  Brother  of  JS'ephi,"  five  chapters ; 
*'The  Book  of  Enos,"  one  chapter;  "The  Book  of 
Jarom,"  one  chapter ;  "  The  Book  of  Omni,"  one 
chapter;  "The  Words  of  Mormon,"  one  chapter; 
"The  Book  of  Mosiah,"  thirteen  chapters;  "The 
Book  of  Alma,  the  Son  of  Alma,"  thirty  chapters; 
"The  Book  of  Heleman,"  five  chapters;  "The  Book 
of  Nephi,  the  Son  of  Nephi,  which  was  the  Son  of 
Helaman,"  fourteen  chaj)ters;  "The  Book  of  l^ephi, 
which  is  the  Son  of  Kephi,  one  of  the  Disciples  of 
Jesus  Christ,"  one  chapter ;  "  Book  of  Mormon,"  four 
chapters ;  "  Book  of  Ether,"  six  chapters ;  "  Book  of 
Moroni,"  ten  chapters.  The  volume  contains  five 
hundred  and  eighty-eight  pages,  common  duodecimo, 
small  pica  letter. 


MOEMONISM 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

Modified  Revelation— Testimony  of  Witnesses— A  Prophet  that  was 
not  a  Prophet — Sidney  Rigdon  the  first  regular  Preacher  of  the 
new  Gospel — His  Sermon — Calvin  Stoddard  receives  a  "  Call" — 
Mormon  Emigration  to  Ohio. 

Smith's  first  "  command  "  limiting  to  his  eye  alone 
the  mortal  sight  of  the  metallic  records,  except  on  the 
penalty  of  "instant  death"  denounced  against  the 
daring  of  any  other  human  being,  failed  in  its  ap- 
parent purpose.  It  was  treated  as  "  Joe's  nonsense  " 
outside  of  the  immediate  circle  of  his  small  band  of 
followers,  as  were  all  his  stories  of  visions  and  of  the 
*'  golden  "  book.  Hence  a  modification  of  the  revelation 
seemingly  became  necessary  to  secure  the  public  ac- 
ceptance of  this  miraculous  spiritual  disj^ensation. 
Exactly  when  this  change  was  reached,  did  not  gen- 
erally transpire,  or  at  least  it  is  not  within  remem- 
brance, though  for  months  antecedent  to  the  publica- 
tion of  the  book,  the  conclusive  "  testimony  of  wit- 
nesses "  to  the  actual  sight  and  veritable  existence  of 
"  the  i>lates  which  contained  the  record,"  was  verbally 


SIDNEY  RIGDON  IN  HIS  FIRST  MORMON   SERMON. 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGKESS.  69 

proclaimed  by  Smith  and  others  in  corroboration  of 
the  prophetic  pretension.  This  circumstance  explains 
the  otherwise  apparent  inconsistency  of  the  following 
allegations  of  eleven  witnesses,  which  are  aj^pended 
to  the  printed  volume  : 

"  TTie  Testimony  of  three  Witnesses : 

"  Be  it  known  unto  all  nations,  kindreds,  tongues, 
and  people,  unto  whom  this  work  shall  come,  that  w^e, 
through  the  grace  of  God  the  Father  and  our  Lord 
Je-sus  Christ,  have  seen  the  plates  which  contain  this 
record,  which  is  a  record  of  the  people  of  Nephi,  and 
also  of  the  Lamanites,  his  brethren,  and  also  of  the 
people  of  Jared,  which  came  from  the  tower  of  which 
hath  been  spoken  ;  and  we  also  know  that  they  have 
been  translated  by  the  gift  and  power  of  God,  for  His 
voice  hath  declared  it  unto  us  ;  wherefore  we  know 
of  a  surety  that  the  work  is  true.  And  we  also  testify 
that  we  have  seen  the  engravings  which  are  upon  the 
plates ;  and  they  have  been  shown  unto  us  by  the 
power  of  God,  and  not  of  man.  And  we  declare  with 
words  of  soberness,  that  an  angel  of  God  came  down 
from  Heaven,  and  he  brought  and  laid  before  our 
eyes,  that  we  beheld  and  saw  the  plates,  and  the  en- 
gravings thereon  ;  and  we  know  that  it  is  by  the 
grace  of  God  the  Father,  and  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
that  we  beheld  and  bare  record  that  these  things  are 
true ;  and  it  is  marvellous  in  our  eyes :  nevertheless, 


70  MOEMONISM  : 

the  voice  of  the  Lord  commanded  us  that  we  should 
bear  record  of  it ;  Avherefore,  to  be  obedient  unto  the 
commandments  of  God,  we  bear  testimony  of  these 
things.  And  we  know  that  if  we  are  faithful  in 
Christ,  we  shall  rid  our  garments  of  the  blood  of  all 
men,  and  be  found  spotless  before  the  judgment-seat 
of  Christ,  and  shall  dwell  with  Him  eternally  in  the 
heavens.  And  the  honor  be  to  the  Father,  and  to 
the  Son,  and  to  the  Holy  Ghost,  which  is  one  God. 
Amen.  OLIVER  COWDERY, 

DAYID  WHITMER, 
MARTIN  HARRIS." 

"  And  also  tJie  Testimony  of  eight  Witnesses  : 

"  Be  it  known  unto  all  nations,  kindreds,  tongues, 
and  people,  unto  whom  this  work  shall  come,  that 
Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  the  Author  and  Proprietor  of  this 
work,  has  shown  unto  us  the  plates  of  which  hath 
been  spoken,  which  have  the  appearance  of  gold ;  and 
as  many  of  the  leaves  as  the  said  Smith  has  translated 
we  did  handle  with  our  hands  ;  and  we  also  saw  the 
engravings  thereon,  all  of  which  has  the  appearance 
of  ancient  work,  and  of  curious  workmanship.  And 
this  we  bear  record,  with  words  of  soberness,  that  the 
said  Smith  has  shown  unto  us,  for  we  have  seen  and 
hefted,  and  know  of  a  surety,  that  the  said  Smith  has 
got  the  plates  of  which  we  have  spoken.  And  we 
give  our  names  unto  the  world,  to  witness  unto  tlie 


71 

world  that  which  we  have  seen  :  and.  we  lie  not,  God 

bearing  witness  of  it. 

CHRISTIAN  WHITMER, 

JACOB  WHITMER, 

PETER  WHITMER,  Jr., 

JOHN  V/HITMER, 

HIRAM  PAGE,, 

JOSEPH  SMITH,  Sr., 

HYRUM  SMITH, 

SAMUEL  H.  SMITH." 

How  to  reconcile  the  act  of  Harris  in  signing  his 
name  to  such  a  statement,  in  view  of  the  character 
of  honesty  which  had  always  been  conceded  to  him, 
could  never  be  easily  explained.  In  reply  to  unchar- 
itable suggestions  of  his  neighbors,  he  used  to  prac- 
tise a  good  deal  of  his  characteristic  jargon  about 
"  seeing  with  the  spiritual  eye,"  and  the  like.  As  re- 
gards the  other  witnesses  associated  with  Harris,  their 
averments  in  this  or  any  other  matter  could  excite  no 
more  surprise  than  did  those  of  Smith  himself. 

It  is  interesting  to  quote  the  standard  of  Mormon 
authority  for  the  justification  of  Smith's  changed 
revelation  which  opened  the  way  for  these  witnesses 
to  sustain  the  existence  of  the  metallic  records.  Here 
it  is,  as  recorded  in  the  eleventh  chapter  of  the  "  Sec- 
ond Book  of  IsTephi"  : 

"  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  that  the  Lord  God 
shall  bring  forth  unto  you,  the  words  of  a  book,  and 


72  MOKMONISM  : 

they  shall  be  the  words  of  them  which  have  slum- 
bered.    And  behold  the  book  shall  be  sealed  :  and  in 
the  book  shall  be  a  revelation  from  God,  from  the  be- 
ginning of  the  world  to  the  ending  thereof.     Where- 
fore, because  of  the  things  which  are  sealed  uj),  the 
things  which  are  sealed  shall  not  be  delivered  in  the 
day  of  the  wickedness  and  abominations  of  the  peo- 
ple.    Wherefore  the  book  shall  be  kept  from  them. 
But  the  book  shall  be  delivered  unto  a  man,  and  he 
shall  deliver  the  words  of  the  book,  which  are  the 
words  of  those  who  have  slumbered  in  the  dust ;  and 
he   shall  deliver  these  words  unto  another ;  but  the 
words  which  are  sealed  he  shall  not  deliver,  neither 
shall  he  deliver  the  book.     For  the  book  shall  be 
sealed  by  the  power  of  God,  and  the  revelation  which 
was  sealed,  shall  be  kept  in  the  book  until  the  own 
due  time  of  the  Lord,  that  they  may  come  forth  ;  for, 
behold,  they  reveal  all  things  from  the  foundation  of 
the  world  unto  the  end  thereof     And  the  day  cometh 
that  the  words  of  the  book  which  were  sealed  shall 
be  read  upon  the  house-tops ;  and  they  shall  be  read 
by  the  power  of  Christ :  and  all  things  shall  be  re- 
vealed unto  the  children  of  men  which  ever  have  been 
among  the  children  of  men,  and  which  ever  will  be, 
even  unto  the  end  of  the  earth.     Wherefore,  at  that 
day  when  the  book  shall  be  delivered  unto  the  man 
of  whom  I  have  spoken,  the  book  shall  be  hid  from 
the  eyes  of  the  world,  tbat  the  eyes  of  none  shall  be- 


ITS   ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  73 

hold  it,  save  it  be  that  three  witnesses  shall  behold  it, 
by  the  power  of  God,  besides  him  to  whom  the  book 
shall  be  delivered ;  and  they  shall  testify  to  the  truth 
of  the  book  and  the  things  therein.  And  there  is 
none  other  which  shall  view  it,  save  it  be  a  iew,  ac- 
cording to  the  will  of  God,  to  bear  testimony  of  His 
word  unto  the  children  of  men  :  for  the  Lord "  God 
hath  said,  that  the  words  of  the  faithful  should  speak 
as  if  it  were  from  the  dead.  Wherefore,  the  Lord 
God  will  proceed  to  bring  forth  the  words  of  the 
book;  and  in  the  mouth  of  as  many  witnesses  as 
seemeth  Him  good,  will  He  establisli  His  word ; 
and  woe  be  unto  him  that  rejecteth  the  Word  of 
God. 

"  But  behold,  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  the  Lord 
God  shall  say  unto  him  to  whom  He  shall  deliver  the 
book,  Take  these  words  which  are  not  sealed,  and  de- 
liver them  to  another,  that  he  may  show  them  unto 
the  learned,  saying  :  Read  this,  I  pray  tbee.  And  the 
learned  shall  say.  Bring  hither  the  book,  and  I  will 
read  them;  and  now,  because  of  the  glory  of  the 
world,  and  to  get  gain,  will  they  say  this,^  and  not  for 
the  glory  of  God.  And  the  man  shall  say,  I  cannot 
bring  the  book,  for  it  is  sealed.  Then  shall  the 
learned  say,  I  cannot  read  it.  Wherefore  it  shall 
come  to  pass  that  the  Lord  God  will  deliver  again 
the  book  and  the  words  thereof  to  him  that  is  not 
learned  ;  and  the  man  that  is  not  learned  shall  say,  T 


74  MOEMONISM  : 

am  not  learned.  Then  sliall  the  Lord  God  say  unto 
him,  The  learned  shall  not  read  them,  for  they  have  re- 
jected them,  and  I  am  able  to  do  mine  own  work ; 
wherefore  thoii  shalt  read  the  words  which  I  shall 
give  unto  thee.  Touch  not  the  things  which  are 
sealed,  for  I  will  bring  them  forth  in  mine  own  due 
time  :  for  I  will  show  unto  the  children  of  men  that  I 
am  able  to  do  mine  own  work.  Wherefore,  when 
thou  hast  read  the  words  which  I  have  commanded 
thee,  and  obtained  the  witnesses  which  I  have  prom- 
ised unto  thee,  then  shalt  thou  seal  up  the  book  again, 
and  hide  it  up  unto  me,  that  I  may  preserve  the  words 
which  thou  hast  not  read,  iintil  I  shall  see  fit  in  mine 
own  wisdom  to  reveal  all  things  unto  the  children  of 
men.  For  behold,  I  am  God ;  and  I  am  a  God  of 
miracles ;  and  I  will  show  unto  the  world  that  I  am 
the  same  yesterday,  to-day,  and  forever ;  and  I  work 
not  among  the  children  of  men,  save  it  be  according 
to  their  faith." 

Another  theory  in  regard  to  the  plates  and  hiero- 
glyphics claimed  to  be  found  by  Smith  may  possibly 
be  explained  in  this  way.  In  the  list  of  American  an- 
tiquities found  in  the  Western  country,  and  preserved 
in  tlie  museums  of  antiquarians,  are  what  are  called 
glyplis^  consisting  of  curious  metallic  plates  covered 
with  hieroglyphical  characters.  Professor  Rafinesque, 
in  \i\^  Asiatic  Journal  ioY  1832,  describes  similar  plates 
found  by  him  in  Mexico,  being  "  Avritten  from  top  to 


ITS    OEIGEN",    EISE,    AND   PKOGRESS.  Y5 

bottom  like  the  Chinese,  or  from  side  to  side  indiffer- 
ently, like  the  Egyptian  and  the  Demotic  Libyan."  A 
nnmber  of  these  remains  were  fomid  a  few  years  ago 
in  Pike  County,  Illinois,  described  as  "  six  plates  of 
brass  of  a  bell  shape,  each  having  a  hole  near  the 
small  end,  with  a  ring  through  all  of  them,  and 
clasped  with  two  clasps.  The  ring  and  clasps  ap- 
peared to  be  iron,  very  much  oxidated.  The  plates 
first  aj^peared  to  be  copper,  and  had  the  appearance 
of  being  covered  with  characters.  A  cleansing  by 
sulphuric  acid  brought  out  the  characters  distinctly." 
Smith  may  have  obtained  through  Rigdon  (the  literary 
genius  behind  the  screen)  one  of  these  glyphs,  which 
resemble  so  nearly  his  descri23tion  of  the  book  he  pre- 
tended to  find  on  Mormon  Hill.  For  the  credit  of 
human  character,  it  i§  better  at  any  rate  to  presume 
this,  and  that  the  eleven  ignorant  witnesses  were  de- 
ceived by  appearances,  than  to  conclude  that  they 
wilfully  committed  such  gross  moral  perjury  before 
high  Heaven,  as  their  solemn  averments  imply. 

Mormonism  and  its  bible  being  thus  candidates 
for  acceptance  or  rejection  before  the  public  judg- 
ment, an  early  popular  decision  was  sought  by  their 
supporters.  Up  to  this  time,  Sidney  Rigdon  liad 
played  his  part  in  the  background,  and  his  occasional 
visits  at  Smith's  residence  had  been  noticed  by  un- 
initiated observers  as  those  of  the  mysterious  stranger. 
It  had  been  his  policy  to  remain  in  concealment  until 


76  MORMONISM  : 

all  things  should  "be  in  readiness  for  blowing  the  trum- 
pet of  the  new  gospel.  He  was  a  backsliding  clergy- 
man of  the  Baptist  persuasion,  and  at  the  period  re- 
ferred to  was  the  principal  preacher  of  a  sort  of  reli- 
gions society  calling  themselves  '^  Reformers "  or 
"  Disciples,"  at  Mentor,  Ohio,  near  Kirtland.  From 
all  that  is  known  by  the  writer,  of  his  character,  he  is 
believed  to  have  been  a  man  possessing  considerable 
educational  and  scientific  abilities ;  an  active,  san- 
guineous temperament ;  a  bold  and  persevering  dis- 
position ;  and  inclinations  preponderating  toward 
original  theories  and  schemes  of  philosophical  adven- 
ture. His  age  at  this  period  was  about  thirty-eight 
years. 

This  man  Rigdon  now  appeared  as  the  fii'st  regular 
Mormon  preacher  in  Palmyra.  ^  Martin  Harris  was  his 
forerunner,  and  relieved  him  of  his  incognito  position. 
Harris  had  in  vain  sought  the  use  of  the  chui'ches  re- 
spectively for  his  appointed  clerical  service.  But  the 
hall  of  the  Palmyra  Young  Men's  Association,  in  the 
third  story  of  Exchange  Row,  was  yielded  for  the 
object,  upon  the  earnest  entreaty  of  Harris,  whose  sin- 
cerity and  good  intentions  Avere  unquestioned.  At 
the  designated  hour,  a  respectable  audience  had  as- 
sembled ;  but  it  was  a  smallone,  for  be  it  remembered 
that  the  church  of  the  order  of  Latter-Day  Saints  was 
just  emerging  from  its  chrysalis  state. 

Rigdon  introduced  himself  as  "  the  Messenger  of 


ITS   ORIGIN,   KISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  77 

God,"  declaring  that  he  was  commanded  from  above 
to  proclaim  the  Mormon  revelation.  He  then  went 
through  the  ceremonious  form  of  prayer,  in  v/hich  he 
expressed  his  grateful  sense  of  the  blessings  of  the 
glorious  gospel  dispensation  now  opening  to  the 
world,  and  the  miraculous  light  from  Heaven  to  be 
displayed  through  the  instrumentality  of  the  "  chosen 
revelator,"  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.  Bespeaking  the  favor 
of  the  Most  High  in  return  for  the  kindness  of  the 
Association  in  granting  the  use  of  their  hall,  he  con- 
cluded his  prayer  by  commending  all  believers  to  the 
divine  care  and  protection  against  the  sneers  and  per- 
secutions of  their  ad^  ersaries. 

The  discourse  was  based  upon  the  following  text 
read  by  the  preacher  from  the  recently  published 
Book  of  Mormon,  which  the  searcher  may  find  in 
"First  Book  of  Nephi,"  chapter  iv.  (page  32,  original 
edition) : — 

"And  the  angel  spake  unto  me,  saying:  These 
last  records  which  thou  hast  seen  among  the  Gentiles, 
shall  establish  the  truth  of  the  first,  which  is  of  the 
Twelve  Apostles  of  the  Lamb,  and  shall  make  known 
the  plain  and  precious  things  which  have  been  taken 
away  from  them ;  and  shall  make  known  to  all  kin- 
dreds, tongues,  and  people,  that  the  Lamb  of  God  is 
the  Eternal  Father  and  Saviour  of  the  world ;  and 
that  all  men  must  come  unto  Him,  or  they  cannot  be 
saved." 


78  MOKMomsM : 

The  preacher  assumed  to  establish  the  theory  that 
the  Book  of  Mormon  and  the  old  Bible  were  one  in 
inspiration  and  importance,  and  that  the  "precious 
things"  now  revealed  had  for  wise  purposes  been 
withheld  from  the  book  first  promulgated  to  the 
world,  and  were  necessary  to  establish  its  truth. 
In  the  course  of  his  argument  he  applied  various 
quotations  from  the  two  books  to  prove  his  position. 
Iloldine:  the  Book  of  Mormon  in  his  ris^ht  hand,  and 
the  Bible  in  his  left  hand,  he  bi ought  them  together 
in  a  manner  corresponding  to  the  emphatic  declaration 
made  by  him.,  that  they  were  both  equally  the  Word  of 
God ;  that  neither  was  perfect  without  the  other ;  and 
that  they  were  inseparably  necessary  to  complete  the 
everlasting  gospel  of  the  Saviour  Jesus  Christ.  The 
"latter-day"  theory  was  dwelt  upon  at  some  length, 
with  apparent  seriousness.  Reiterating  the  declara- 
tion made  in  his  introduction,  that  he  was  "com- 
manded" to  proclaim  these  truths  for  the  salvation 
of  fallen  man,  he  wound  up  his  discourse  by  a  warn- 
ing appeal  to  the  confidence  and  faith  of  his  hearers  ; 
adding  a  benediction. 

This  is  by  no  means  offered  as  a  literal  report  of 
the  "  sermon  "  beyond  a  few  points,  but  is  believed  to 
state  truthfully  and  fairly  its  essential  features,  as 
quite  distinctly  remembered  after  the  lapse  of  nearly 
thirty-seven  years.  Altogether,  though  evidencing 
some  talent  and  ingenuity  in  its  matter  and  manner, 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  T9 

and  delivered  with  startling  boldness  and  seeming 
sincerity,  the  performance  Avas  in  the  main  an  unin- 
telligible jumble  of  quotations,  assertions,  and  ob- 
scurities, which  was  received  by  the  audience  as 
shockingly  blasphemous,  as  it  was  painful  to  hear. 
The  manifestations  of  disfavor  were  so  unequivocal 
that  Harris  hesitatingly  assented  to  the  suggestion 
of  his  "  Gentile "  friends  to  withhold  all  further  re- 
quest for  the  use  of  the  hall  for  a  repetition  of  the 
exhibition.  And  "  regular  preaching  "  uj^on  the  Mor- 
mon plan  was  never  again  attempted  by  Rigdon  or 
any  other  man  in  Palmyra,  according  to  the  best 
knowledge  and  belief  of  the  writer. 

Rigdon,  however,  remained  at  Smith's  for  some 
days,  preaching  in  the  neighborhood,  and  baptizing 
several  converts.  Smith  himself,  with  Harris,  Cow- 
dery,  and  Stoddard,  also  made  some  advances  toward 
preaching  in  an  irregular,  miscellaneous  way,  in  barns 
and  in  the  streets ;  but  all  these  failed  to  find  "  or- 
derly-behaved"  hearers  in  sufficient  numbers  to  en- 
courage their  persistence  in  the  clerical  vocation. 
They  "  lacked  the  gift  of  public  speaking  "  to  com- 
municate the  revelation,  as  was  explained  by  them- 
selves. Cowdery  excelled  in  the  baptismal  service, 
but  that  seemed  to  be  the  extent  of  his  ministerial 
talent. 

An  anecdote,  well  remembered  by  numerous  peo- 
ple now  living  near  the  scene  of  the  performance,  will 


80  MORMONISM  : 

serve  as  an  illustration  of  the  facility  with  which  Smith 
gained  conyerts  and  co-lahorers. 

Stoddard  was  an  early  believer  in  Mormonism,  and 
was  quite  as  eccentric  a  character  as  Harris.  He  was 
slightly  impressed  that  he  had  a  call  to  preach  the 
new  gospel,  but  his  mind  was  beclouded  with  perplex- 
ing doubts  upon  the  question.  One  dark  night,  about 
ten  o'clock,  Stephen  S.  Harding,  then  a  stalwart,  fun- 
loving,  dare-devil  genius  of  eighteen  years,  late  Terri- 
torial Governor  of  Utah  (not  a  Mormon),  Avho  well 
knew  Stoddard's  peculiarities,  and  being  bent  on 
making  a  sensation,  repaired  with  his  genial  friend, 
Abner  Tucker,  to  the  residence  of  the  enthusiast ;  and 
awakening  him  from  sleep  by  three  signals  upon  the 
door  with  a  huge  stone,  deliberately  proclaimed,  in  a 
loud,  sonorous  voice,  with  solemn  intonations — "  C-a-1- 
v-i-n  S-t-o-d-d-a-r-d !  t-h-e  a-n-g-e-1  o-f  t-h-e  Lo-r-d 
c-o-m-m-a-n-d-s  t-h-a-t  b-e-f-o-r-e  a-n-o-t-h-e-r  g-o-i-n-g 
d-o-w-n  o-f  t-h-e  s-u-n,  t-h-o-u  s-h-a-1-t  g-o  f-o-r-t-h 
a-m-o-n-g  t-h-e  p-e-o-p-l-e  a-n-d  p-r-e-a-c-h  t-h-e  g-o-s- 
p-e-1  o-f  ]N"-e-p-h-i,  o-r  t-h-y  w-i-f-e  s-h-a-1-1  b-e  a 
w-i-d-o-w,  t-h-y  c-h-i-1-d-r-e-n  o-r-p-h-a-n-s ,  a-n-d  t-h-y 
a-s-h-e-s  s-c-a-t-t-e-r-e-d  t-o  t-h-e  f-o-u-r  w-i-n-d-s  o-f 
h-e-a-v-e-n ! " 

The  experiment  was  a  complete  success.  Stod- 
dard's former  convictions  were  now  confirmed.  Such 
a  convincing  "revelation"  was  final,  and  not  to  be  dis- 
regarded.    Early  the  next  morning  the  subject  of  this 


ITS   ORIGIN,   RISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  81 

"  special  call "  was  seen  upon  his  rounds  among  his 
neighbors,  as  a  Mormon  missionary,  earnestly  telling 
them  of  the  "  command  "  he  had  received  to  preach. 
Luminous  arguments  and  evidences  were  adduced  hy 
him  to  sustain  the  foundation  of  his  belief  in  this  his 
revealed  sphere  of  duty  ! 

In  further  illustration  of  the  strange  superstitions 
characterizing  these  pioneer  disciples  of  Mormonism, 
and  to  complete  the  chain  of  facts  going  to  make  up 
this  truthful  history,  it  is  proper  to  add  one  other  im- 
portant incident,  which  has  never  appeared  in  any  ac- 
cepted record  of  the  saints.  Enthusiastic  members 
of  the  brotherhood — perhaps  it  should  be  said  the 
more  visionary  of  the  believers — had  plied  the  "  spirit 
of  prophecy  "  in  foretelling  the  event  of  a  miraculous 
birth,  in  association  Avith  an  unmarried  daughter  of 
Joseph  Smith,  Sr.  This  predicted  event  Avas  to  as- 
tonish the  gentile  world  as  a  second  advent  of  triune 
humanity.  Harris  Avas  exceedingly  happy  in  the  be- 
lief of  a  forthcoming  prophet  or  Messiah  under  the 
Mormon  dispensation,  and  spoke  unreservedly  of  an 
"  immaculate  conception  in  our  day  and  generation." 
The  ample  shrewdness  of  the  prophet  had  probably 
been  called  in  requisition  to  allay  some  unfaA^orable 
surmises  on  the  part  of  his  observing  disciple,  who 
Avas  a  frequenter  at  the  family  mansion  ;  and  it  is  ap- 
parent that  the  theory  invented  was  readily  adopted 
by  Harris.     Rigdon  had  been  an  occasional  sojourner 


82  MOEMONISM  : 

at  Smith's  for  a  year  or  more,  though  the  reader  may 
fail  to  perceive  what  this  circumstance  had  to  do  with 
the  case.  The  upshot  of  the  story  is,  that  soon  after 
the  family  had  started  for  Ohio,  the  miracle  eventuated 
somewhere  on  the  route,  in  the  birth  of  a  lifeless  fe- 
male child  !  The  accident  was  readily  set  down  to 
the  account  of  divine  interposition  to  avenge  some  act 
of  Mormon  disobedience,  and  Harris  was  thus  easily 
reconciled. 

In  the  summer  of  1830,  the  founders  of  the  Mormon 
Church  then  remaining  at  the  scene  of  its  birthplace, 
who  had  talked  much  of  going  on  a  mission  into  the 
Western  country  to  conA^ert  the  Lamanites  (meaning 
Indians),  started  on  their  western  expedition  with  their 
unsold  Golden  Bibles,  and  went  to  Mentor,  Ohio,  the 
residence  of  Kigdon,  and  of  Parley  P.  Pratt,  his  friend 
and  co-worker.  ISTear  this  place  is  Kirtland,  where 
there  were  a  few  families  belono-ins;;  to  Pio-don's  con- 
grogation,  who  had  become  extremely  fanatical  under 
his  preparatory  preaching  and  prophecies,  and  were 
daily  looking  for  the  occurrence  of  some  wonderful 
event.  Seventeen  of  these  peoj^le,  men  and  women, 
readily,  espoused  the  new  revelation,  and  were  im- 
mersed by  Cowdery  in  one  night,  in  attestation  of 
their  Mormon  faith.  By  the  continued  ministration 
of  Rigdon,  aided  by  Pratt,  Smith,  Cowdery,  and 
their  auxiliaries,  conversions  rapidly  followed ;  a  pow- 
erful impetus  was  given  to. the  cause;  and  over  one 


ITS    OlilGIN-,    EISE,    AND   PEOGKESS.  83 

hundred  persons  were  added  to  the  fold  in  a  short 
time.  Kirtland  from  about  this  period  became  the 
headquarters  of  the  Mormons,  where  their  Church 
and  colony  were  thoroughly  organized  and  tempo- 
rarily established. 


84  MOEMONISM 


CHAPTER  YIII. 


Style  of  the  new  Revelation— Passages  from  the  Book— Scattered 
Tribes— Journey  from  Jerusalem  to  the  Promised  Land— Their 
Tribulations  in  the  Wilderness  and  at  Sea— Records  "  hid  up  in 
the  Hill  Camorah  "  or  Mormon  Hill. 


Although  the  Book  of  Mormon  has  a  wide  pub- 
licity— "being  received  as  authentic  by  the  followers 
of  the  late  prophet,  Smith,  and  of  his  successor  Brig- 
ham  Young — and  having  been  issued  in  large  editions, 
both  by  the  "  saints  "  as  their  bible,  and  by  "  gentiles  " 
on  speculation,  yet  it  is  presumed  that  liberal  tran- 
scripts from  the  work  will  comj)ensate  their  reprinting 
in  this  volume.  And  it  may  be  proper  to  remark  here, 
that  in  this  case  no  trespass  is  perpetrated  upon  the 
copyright  of  1829  (if  indeed  the  patent  is  continued 
by  renewals),  for  the  proposed  republication  is  only 
an  adjourned  exercise  of  privilege  verbally  grant- 
ed at  that  time  by  the  "author  and  proprietor" 
himself. 

The  chief  denominations  of  the  fabulous  tribes  pur- 


ITS    OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  85 

porting  to  have  inhabited  this  wilderness  continent  in 
the  times  of  the  first  Mormon,  according  to  the  Smith 
revelation,  were  the  Nej^hites  and  the  Lamanites.  They 
were  exceedingly  belligerent  races  of  people,  apparent- 
ly bent  on  each  other's  destruction,  and  prosecuting 
an  almost  continuous  warfare  between  themselves  for 
century  after  century ;  and  this,  too,  so  far  as  as- 
signed, for  causes  about  as  explicable  as  are  those 
impelling  like  hostilities  in  this  modern  Christian  era. 
A  melancholy  history  on  this  head  is  presented  in  the 
book,  from  which  it  appears  that  the  J^Tephite  tribes, 
though  the  better  people,  vv^ere  eventually  annihilated ; 
while  to  the  wandering  tribes'  of  the  native  Indians 
of  this  country  are  to  be  traced  the  surviving  remnants 
of  their  enemies  the  Lamanites. 

By  the  following  series  of  compilations  from  the 
different  chapters  of  this  Mormon  volume,  as  trans- 
lated and  published  by  Prophet  Smith,  the  reader 
will  discover  a  chain  of  events,  incidents,  episodes, 
perils,  and  tribulations,  by  wilderfless  and  by  sea,  con- 
stituting the  story  of  immigration  by  various  Israel- 
itish  tribes,  with  their  brazen  and  golden  records, 
from  the  beginning  of  their  journeyings  at  Jerusalem, 
to  the  consummation  of  the  same  in  the  promised 
land,  where  their  records  were  hidden  in  the  "hill 
Camorah,"  which  being  interpreted,  signifies  "Mormon 
Hill,"  in  the  town  of  Manchester,  N.  Y.  The  fabulous 
narrative  will  repay  patient  perusal  by  the  curious  : 


86  MOKMONISM  : 


Journeyings  of  N'ephi  and  his  brethren  from  Jeru- 
salem  to  the  Promised  JLand^  icith  their  records 
and  history.     Also,  Laman  and  his  brethren. 

"  I,  Nephi,  having  been  born  of  goodly  parents, 
therefore  I  was  taught  somewhat  in  all  the  learning 
of  my  father;  and  having  seen  many  afflictions  in  the 
course  of  my  days — nevertheless,  having  been  highly 
flavored  of  the  Lord  in  all  my  days ;  yea,  having  had 
a  great  knowledge  of  the  goodness  and  the  mysteries 
of  God,  therefore  I  make  a  record  of  my  jDroceedings 
in  my  days ;  yea,  I  make  a  record  in  the  language  of 
my  father,  which  consists  of  the  learning  of  the  Jews 
and  the  language  of  the  Egyptians.  And  I  know  the 
record  which  I  make  to  be  true  ;  and  I  make  it  with 
mine  own  hand  ;  and  I  make  it  according  to  my 
knowledge. 

"  For  it  came  to  pass,  in  the  commencement  of  the 
first  year  of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah,  king  of  Judah, 
(my  father  Lehi  having  dwelt  at  Jerusalem  in  all  his 
days,)  and  in  that  same  year  there  came  many 
prophets,  prophesying  unto  the  people  that  they 
must  repent,  or  the  great  city  Jerusalem  must  be  de- 
stroyed. Wherefore  it  came  to  pass  that  my  father 
Lehi,  as  he  went  forth,  prayed  unto  the  Lord,  yea, 
even  w^ith  all  his  heart,  in  behalf  of  his  people. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  as  he  prayed  unto  the  Lord, 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AJ^D   PKOGKESS.  87 

there  came  a  pillar  of  fire  and  dwelt  upon  a  rock 
iDefore  him,  and  he  saw  and  heard  much ;  and  because 
of  the  things  which  he  saw  and  heard  he  did  quake 
and  tremble  exceedingly. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  he  returned  to  his  own 
house  at  Jerusalem  ;  and  he  cast  himself  upon  his  bed, 
being  overcome  with  the  spirit  and  the  things  which 
he  had  seen  ;  and  being  thus  overcome  with  the  spirit, 
he  was  carried  away  in  a  vision,  even  that  he  saw  the 
heavens  open  ;  and  he  thought  he  saw  God  sitting 
upon  his  throne,  surrounded  with  numberless  con- 
courses of  angels  in  the  attitude  of  singing  and  prais- 
ing their  God. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  he  saw  one  descending 
out  of  the  midst  of  heaven,  and  he  beheld  that  his 
lustre  was  above  that  of  the  sun  at  noonday ;  and  he 
also  saw  twelve  others  following  him,  and  their  bright- 
ness did  exceed  that  of  the  stars  in  the  firmament ; 
and  they  came  down  and  went  forth  upon  the  face  of 
the  earth ;  and  the  first  came  and  stood  before  my 
father  and  gave  unto  him  a  book,  and  bade  him  that 
he  should  read.* 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  as  he  read,  he  was  filled 
with  the  spirit  of  the  Lord,  and  he  read,  saying:  Woe, 
woe  unto  Jerusalem  !  for  I  have  seen  thine  abomina- 
tions ;  yea,  and  many  things  did  my  father  read  con- 
cerning Jerusalem ;  that  it  should  be  destroyed,  and 
the  inhabitants  thereof;  many  should  perish  by  the 


Ob  MOEMONISM : 

sword,  and  mcLUj  should  be  carried  away  captive  into 
Babylon 

"And  it  came  to  pass  tbat  the  Lord  spake  unto 
me,  saying  :  Blessed  art  thou,  Nephi,  because  of  thy 
faith,  for  thou  hast  sought  me  diligently,  with  lowli- 
ness of  heart.  And.  inasmuch  as  ye  shall  keep  my 
commandments,  ye  shall  jirosper,  and  shall  be  led.  to  a 
land  of  promise ;  yea,  even  a  land  which  I  have  pre- 
pared for  you ;  yea,  a  land  which  is  choice  above  all 
other  lands 

"And  I,  Nephi,  and  my  brethren,  took  our  journey 
in  the  wilderness  with  our  tents,  to  go  up  to  the  land 
of  Jerusalem.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  we  had 
come  up  to  the  land  of  Jerusalem,  I  and  my  brethren 
did  consult  one  with  another ;  and  we  cast  lots  which 
of  us  should  go  in  unto  the  house  of  Laban.  And  it 
came  to  pass  that  the  lot  fell  upon  Laman ;  and  La- 
man  went  in  unto  the  house  of  Laban,  and  he  talked 
with  him  as  he  sat  in  his  house.  And  he  desired  of 
Laban  the  records  which  were  engraven  upon  the 
plates  of  brass*  which  contained  the  genealogy  of  my 
father. 

*  In  other  portions  of  the  book,  plates  of  ffold  are  spoken  of.  For 
instance,  in  the  "Book  of  Mosiah,"  occurs  this  passage:  "There- 
fore he  took  the  records  which  were  engraven  on  the  plates  of  brass, 
and  also  the  plates  of  Nephi,  and  all  the  things  which  he  had  kept 
and  preserved,  according  to  the  commandments  of  God,  after  having 
translated  and  caused  to  be  written  the  records  which  were  on  the 


ITS    OEIGIN,    RISE,    AIs^D   PROGRESS.  89 

"And  behold,  it  came  to  pass  that  Laban  was 
angry,  and  thrust  him  out  from  his  presence  ;  and  he 
woukl  not  that  he  should  have  the  records.     .     .     . 

"And  behold,  it  is  wisdom  in  God  that  we  should 
obtain  these  records,  that  we  might  preserve  unto  our 
children  the  language  of  our  fathers  ;  and  also  that 
we  may  preserve  unto  them  the  words  which  have 
been  spoken  by  the  mouth  of  all  the  holy  prophets, 
which  have  been  delivered  unto  them  by  the  spirit 
and  power  of  God  since  the  world  began,  even  down 
unto  this  present  time. 

"And  it  came  to  pass,  that  after  this  manner  of 
language  did  I  persuade  my  brethren  that  they  might 
be  faithful  in  keei3ing  the  commandments  of  God. 
And  it  came  to  pass  that  we  went  down  to  the  land 
of  our  inheritance,  and  we  did  gather  together  our 
gold,  and  our  silver,  and  our  precious  things.  And 
after  that  we  had  gathered  these  things  together,  we 
went  up  again  unto  the  house  of  Laban. 
,  "  And  it  came  to  pass  that  we  went  in  unto  Laban, 
and  desired  .him  that  he  would  give  unto  us  the  records 
which  were  engraven  upon  the  plates  of  brass,  for 
which  we  would  give  unto  him  our  gold,  and  our  sil- 
ver, and  our  precious  things.     .     .     .     .     . 

"  And  after  that  they  had  given  thanks  unto  the 

PLATES  OF  GOLD,"  etc.  In  the  first  instance,  these  plates  or  gljphs, 
or  myths,  were  claimed  by  Smith  and  his  followers  to  be  plates  of 
gold  or  resembling  gold. 


90  MORMONISM  : 

God  of  Israel,  my  father  Lehi  took  the  records  which 
were  engraven  upon  the  plates  of  brass,  and  he  did 
search  them  from  the  beginning.  And  he  beheld  that 
they  did  contain  the  five  books  of  Moses,  which  gave 
an  account  of  the  creation  of  the  world,  and  also  of 
Adam,  and  Eve,  which  were  our  first  parents;  and 
also  a  record  of  the  Jews  from  the  beginning,  even 
down  to  the  commencement  of  the  reio-n  of  Zedekiah, 
king  of  Judah ;  and  also  the  prophecies  of  the  holy 
prophets,  from  the  beginning  even  down  to  the  com- 
mencement of  the  reign  of  Zedekiah ;  and  also  many 
prophecies  of  which  have  been  spoken  by  the  mouth 
of  Jeremiah. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  my  father  Lehi  also 
found  upon  the  plates  of  brass  a  genealogy  of  his 
father ;  yea,  even  that  Joseph  which  was  the  son  of 
Jacob,  which  was  sold  into  Egypt,  and  Avhich  was 
preserved  by  the  hand  of  the  Lord,  that  he  might  pre- 
serve his  father  Jacob  and  all  his  household  from  per- 
ishing with  famine.  And  tliey  were  also  led  out  of 
captivity  and  out  of  the  land  of  Egypt  by  that  same 
God  who  had  preserved  them.  And  thus  my  father 
Lehi  did  discover  the  genealogy  of  his  fathers.  And 
Laban  also  was  a  descendant  of  Joseph,  wherefore  he 
and  his  fathers  had  kept  the  records. 

"  And  now  when  my  father  saw  all  these  things, 
he  was  filled  with  the  spirit,  and  began  to  prophesy 
concerning  his  seed  ;  that  these  plates  of  brass  should 


ITS    OEIGIN",    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  91 

go  forth  unto  all  nations,  kindreds,  tongues,  and  peo- 
ple, which  were  of  his  seed.  Wherefore  he  said  that 
these  plates  of  brass  ghould  never  perish ;  neither 
should  they  he  dimmed  any  more  by  time.  And  he 
prophesied  many  things  concerning  his  seed. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  thus  far  I  and  my 
father  had  kept  the  commandments  wherewith  the 
Lord  had  commanded  us.  And  we  had  obtained  the 
records  which  the  Lord  liad  commanded  us,  and 
searched  them  and  found  that  they  were  desirable ; 
yea,  even  of  great  worth  unto  us,  insomuch  that  we 
could  preserve  the  commandments  of  the  Lord  unto 
our  children.  Wherefore  it  was  wisdom  in  the  Lord 
that  we  should  carry  them  with  us,  as  we  journeyed 
in  the  wilderness  toward  the  land  of  promise 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  we  did  again  take  our 
journey  in  the  wildernese,  and  we  did  travel  nearly 
eastward  from  that  time  forth.  And  we  did  travel 
and  wade  through  much  affliction  in  the  wilderness ; 
and  our  women  did  bear  children  in  the  wilderness. 
And  so  great  were  the  blessings  of  the  Lord  upon  us, 
that  while  we  did  live  upon  raw  meat  in  the  wilder- 
ness, our  women  did  give  plenty  of  suck  for  their  chil- 
dren, and  were  strong,  yea,  even  like  unto  the  men  ; 
and  they  began  to  bear  their  journeyings  without 
murmurings.  And  thus  we  see  that  the  command- 
ments orGod  must  be  fulfilled.  And  if  it  so  be  that 
the  children  of  men  keep  the  commandments  of  God, 


92  MOEMoiasM : 

he  doth  nourish  them,  and  strengthen  them,  and  pro- 
vide means  whereby  they  can  accomplish  the  things 
which  he  hath  commanded  them;  wherefore  he  did 
provide  means  for  ns  while  we  did  sojourn  in  the  wil- 
derness. And  we  did  sojourn  for  the  space  of  many 
years,  yea,  even  eight  years  in  the  wilderness.  And 
we  did  come  to  the  land  which  we  called  Bountiful, 
because  of  its  much  fruit,  and  also  wild  honey ;  and 
all  these  things  were  prepared  of  the  Lord,  that  we 
might  not  perish.  And  we  beheld  the  sea,  which  we 
called  Irreantum,  which,  being  interpreted,  is  Many 
waters. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  we  did  j^itch  our  tents 
by  the  sea-shore ;  and  notwithstanding  we  had  suf- 
fered many  afflictions  and  much  difficulty,  yea,  even 
so  much  that  we  cannot  write  them  all,  we  were  ex- 
ceedingly rejoiced  when  we  came  to  the  sea-shore; 
and  we  called  the  place  Bountiful,  because  of  its  much 
fruit 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  Lord  sj^ake  unto 
me,  saying:  Thou  shalt  construct  a  ship  after  the 
manner  which  I  shall  show  thee,  that  I  may  carry 
thy  people  across  these  waters.  And  I  saith.  Lord, 
whither  shall  I  go  that  I  may  find  ore  to  molten,  that 
I  may  make  tools  to  construct  the  ship,  after  the  man- 
ner which  thou  hast  shown  unto  nie  ?  And  it  came 
to  pass  that  the  Lord  told  me  whither  I  shoftld  go  to 
find  ore,  that  I  might  make  tools. 


ITS   OEIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  93 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  I,  Nephi,  did  make  bel- 
lowses,  wherewith  to  blow  tlie  fire,  of  the  skins  of 
beasts ;  and  after  that  J  had  made  bellowses,  that  I 
might  have  wherewith  to  blow  the  fire,  I  did  smite 
two  stones  together  that  I  might  make  fire,  for  the 
Lord  had  not  hitherto  suffered  that  we  should  make 
much  fire,  as  we  journeyed  in  the  wilderness :  for  he 
saith,  I  will  make  that  thy  food  shall  become  sweet, 
that  ye  cook  it  not ;  and  I  will  also  be  your  light  in 
the  wilderness :  and  I  will  prepare  the  way  before 
you,  if  it  so  be  that  ye  shall  keep  my  commandments ; 
wherefore,  inasmuch  as  ye  shall  keep  my  command- 
ments, ye  shall  be  led  toward  the  promised  land ;  and 
ye  shall  know  tliat  it  is  by  me  that  ye  are  led.  Yea, 
and  the  Lord  said  also.  That  after  ye  have  arrived  at 
the  promised  land,  ye  shall  know  that  I  the  Lord  am 
God ;  and  that  I  the  Lord  did  deliver  you  from  de- 
struction ;  yea,  that  I  did  bring  you  out  of  the  land 
of  Jerusalem:  wherefore  I,  Kephi,  did  strive  to  keep 
the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  I  did  exhort  my 
brethren  to  faithfalness  and  diligence. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  did  make  tools  of  the 
ore  which  I  did  molten  out  of  the  rock.  And  when 
my  brethren  saw  that  I  was  about  to  build  a  ship,  they 
began  to  murmur  against  me,  saying  :  Our  brother  is 
a  fool,  for  he  thinketh  that  he  can  build  a  ship  ;  yea, 
and  he  also  thinketh  that  he  can  cross  these  great 
waters.     And  thus  mj  brethren  did  complain  against 


94  MOKMOinsM : 

me,  and  were  desirous  that  they  might  not  labor,  for 
they  did  not  believe  that  I  could  build  a  ship  ;  neither 
would  they  believe  that  I  was.  instructed  of  the  Lord. 
"  And  now  it  came  to  pass  that  I,  JSJ^ephi,  was  ex- 
ceeding sorrowful,  because  of  the  hardness  of  their 
hearts ;  and  now  when  they  saw  that  I  began  to  be 
sorrowful,  they  were  glad  in  their  hearts,  insomuch 
that  they  did  rejoice  over  me,  saying  :   We  knew  that 
ye  could  not  construct  a  ship,  for  we  knew  that  ye 
were  lacking  in  judgment ;  v/herefore,  thou  canst  not 
accomplish  so  great  a  work  ;  and  thou  art  like  unto 
our  father,  led  away  by  the  foolish  imaginations  of  his 
heart ;  yea,  he  hath  led  us  out  of  the  land  of  Jeru- 
salem, and  we  have  wandered  in  the  wilderness  for 
these  many  years  ;  and  our  women  have  toiled,  being 
big  with  child ;  and  they  have  borne  children  in  the 
wilderness,  and  suffered  all  things,  save  it  were  death; 
and  it  would  have  been  better  that  they  had  died  be- 
fore they  came  out  of  Jerusalem,  than  to  have  suffered 
these  afflictions.     Behold,  these  many  j^ears  we  have 
suffered  in  the  wilderness,  which  time  v/e  might  have 
enjoyed  our  possessions  and   the  land  of  our  inher- 
itance ;  yea,  and  we  might  have  been  happy ;  and  we 
know  that  the  people  which  were  in  the  land  of  Jeru- 
salem were  a  righteous  people,  for  they  kept  the  stat- 
utes and  the  judgments  of  the  Lord,  and  all  his  com- 
mandments, according  to  the  law  of  ]\[oses ;  where- 
fore, we  know  that  they  are  a  righteous  people ;  and 


95 

our  father  hath  judged  them,  and  hath  led  us  away 
because  we  would  hearken  unto  his  words ;  yea,  and 
our  brother  is  like  unto  him.  And  after  this  manner 
of  language  did  my  brethren  murmur  and  complain 
against  me. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  I,  !N'ephi,  spake  unto 
them,  saying :  Do  ye  believe  that  our  fathers,  which 
were  the  children  of  Israel,  would  have  been  led  aAvay 
out  of  the  hands  of  the  Egyptians,  if  they  had  not  hear- 
kened unto  the  words  of  the  Lord  ?  Yea,  do  ye  suppose 
that  they  would  have  been  led  out  of  bondage  if  the 
Lord  had  not  commanded  Moses  that  he  should  lead 
them  out  of  bondage  ?  ISTow  ye  know  that  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  were  in  bondage ;  and  ye  know  that 
they  were  laden  with  tasks,  which  were  grievous  to  be 
borne ;  wherefore,  ye  know  that  it  must  needs  be  a  good 
thing  for  them  that  they  should  be  brought  out  of 
bondage.  'Now  ye  know  that  Moses  was  commanded 
of  the  Lord  to  do  that  great  work ;  and  ye  know  that 
by  his  word  the  waters  of  the  Red  Sea  were  divided 
hither  and  thither,  and  they  passed  through  on  dry 
ground.  But  ye  know  that  the  Egyptians  were 
drowned  in  the  Red  Sea,  which  were  the  armies  of 
Pharaoh  ;  and  ye  also  know  that  they  were  fed  with 
manna  in  the  wilderness  ;  yea,  and  ye  also  know  that 
Moses,  by  his  word,  according  to  the  power  of  God 
which  was  in  him,*  smote  the  rock,  and  there  came 
forth  water  that  the  children  of  Israel  might  quench 


96  MOEMONISM : 

their  thirst ;  and,  notwithstanding,  they  being  led, 
the  Lord  their  God,  their  Redeemer,  going  before 
them,  leading  them  by  day  and  giving  light  nnto 
them  by  night,  and  doing  all  things  for  them  which 
was  expedient  for  man  to  receive,  the}^  hardened  their 
hearts  and  blinded  their  minds,  and  reviled  against 
Moses  and  against  the  true  and  living  God. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that,  according  to  his  word, 
he  did  lead  them  ;  and,  according  to  his  word,  he  did 
do  all  things  for  them  ;  and  there  Avas  not  any  thing 
done  save  it  were  by  his  word.  And  after  they  had 
crossed  the  river  Jordan  he  did  make  them  mighty, 
nnto  the  driving  out  the  children  of  the  land  ;  yea, 
unto  the  scattering  them  to  destruction.  And  now  do 
ye  suppose  that  the  children  of  this  land,  which  were 
in  the  land  of  promise,  which  were  driven  out  by  our 
fathers,  do  ye  suppose  that  they  were  righteous  ? 
Behold,  I  say  unto  you,  nay 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  they  did  worship  the 
Lord,  and  did  go  forth  with  me ;  and  we  did  work 
timbers  of  curious  workmanshij).  And  the  Lord  did 
show  me  from  time  to  time,  after  w]i at  manner  I 
should  work  the  timbers  of  the  ship.  'Now  I,  Nephi, 
did  not  work  the  timbers  after  the  manner  which  was 
learned  by  men,  neither  did  I  build  the  ship  after  the 
manner  of  men  ;  but  I  did  build  it  after  the  manner 
which  the  Lord  had  shown  nnto  me;  wherefore,  it 
was  not  after  the  manner  of  men. 


ITS   OEIGIN,   EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  97 

"  And  I,  Nephi,  did  go  into  the  mount  oft,  and  I 
did  pray  oft  unto  the  Lord;  wherefore,  the  Lord 
showed  unto  me  great  things. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  after  I  had  finished  the 
ship  according  to  the  word  of  the  Lord,  ray  brethren 
beheld  that  it  was  good,  and  that  the  workmanship 
thereof  was  exceeding  fine  ;  wherefore,  they  did  hum- 
ble themselves  again  before  the  Lord. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  voice  of  the  Lord 
came  unto  my  father,  that  we  should  arise  and  go 
down  into  the  ship.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  on  the 
morrow,  after  that  we  had  prepared  all  things,  much 
fruits  and  meat  from  the  wilderness,  and  honey  in 
abundance,  and  provisions,  according  to  that  which 
the  Lord  had  commanded  us,  we  did  go  down  into 
the  ship  with  all  our  loading,  and  our  seeds,  and  what- 
soever thing  we  had  brought  with  us,  every  one  ac- 
cording to  his  age ;  wherefore,  we  did  all  go  down 
into  the  ship  with  our  wives  and  our  children.* 

*  The  Book  of  Ether  gives  a  further  account  of  eight  vessels  for 
other  tribes.  These  vessels,  built  by  the  "brother  of  Jared,  accord- 
ing to  the  instructions  of  the  Lord,"  are  thus  described :  "  They 
were  very  light  upon  the  water,  even  like  unto  the  lightness  of  a 
fowl  upon  the  water ;  and  they  were  built  after  a  manner  that  they 
were  exceeding  tight,  even  that  they  would  hold  water  like  unto  a 
dish ;  and  the  bottom  thereof  was  tight  like  unto  a  dish ;  and  the 
sides  thereof  were  tight  like  unto  a  dish  ;  and  the  ends  thereof  were 
peaked ;  and  the  top  thereof  was  tight  like  unto  a  dish ;  and  the 
length  thereof  was  the  length  of  a  tree."  [Breathing-holes,  with 
5 


y8  MOEMONISM  : 

"  And  now  my  father  had  begat  two  sons  in  the 
wilderness.  The  eldest  was  called  Jacob,  and  the 
younger  Joseph.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  after  we 
had  all  gone  down  into  the  ship,  and  had  taken  with 
us  our  provisions  and  things  which  had  been  com- 
manded us,  we  did  put  forth  into  the  sea,  and  were 
driven  forth  before  the  wind  toward  the  promised 
land  ;  and  after  that  we  had  been  driven  forth  before 
tlie  wind,  for  the  space  of  many  days,  behold  my 
brethren  and  the  sons  of  Ishmael,  and  also  their 
wives,  began  to  make  themselves  merry,  insomuch 
that  they  began  to  dance  and  to  sing,  and  to  speak 
with  much  rudeness,  yea,  even  so  that  they  did  forget 
by  what  power  they  had  been  brought  thither ;  yea, 
they  were  lifted  up  unto  exceeding  rudeness.  And  I, 
I^ephi,  began  to  fear  exceedingly,  lest  the  Lord  should 
be  angry  with  us,  and  smite  us  because  of  our  iniquity, 
that  we  should  be  svrallowed  up  in  the  depths  of  the 
sea ;  wherefore,  I,  ^N'ephi,  began  to  speak  to  them  with 
much  soberness ;  but,  behold,  they  were  angry  with 
me,  saying :  We  will  not  that  our  younger  brother 
shall  be  a  ruler  over  us. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  Laman  and  Lemuel  did 
take  me  and  bind  me  with  cords,  and  they  did  treat 

stoppers,  were  afterward  made  in  the  top.]  "Aud  the  Lord  said 
unto  the  brother  of  Jared,  Behold  ye  shall  be  as  a  whale  in  the  midst 
of  the  sea ;  nevertheless,  I  will  bring  you  up  again  out  of  the  depths 
of  the  sea." 


ITS    OEIGrN",    RISE,    Am>   PEOGEESS.  99 

me  with  mucli  harshness ;  nevertheless,  the  Lord  did 
suffer  it,  that  he  might  show  forth  his  power  unto  the 
fulfilling  of  his  word  which  he  hath  spoken  concern- 
ing the  wicked. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  after  they  had  bound 
me,  insomuch  that  I  could  not  move,  the  compass 
which  had  been  prepared  of  the  Lord  did  cease  to 
work ;  wherefore  they  knew  not  whither  they  should 
steer  the  ship,  insomuch  that  there  arose  a  great 
storm,  yea,  a  great  and  terrible  tempest;  and  we 
were  driven  back  upon  the  waters  for  the  space  of 
three  days,  and  they  began  to  be  frightened  exceed- 
ingly, lest  they  should  be  drowned  in  the  sea  ;  never- 
theless, they  did  loose  me  not.  And  on  the  fourth  day 
which  we  had  been  driven  back  the  tempest  began  to 
be  exceeding  sore. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  we  were  about  to  be 
swallowed  up  in  the  depths  of  the  sea.  And  after 
that  we  had  been  driven  back  upon  the  waters  for  the 
space  of^our  days,  my  brethren  began  to  see  that  the 
judgment  of  God  was  upon  them,  and  that  they  must 
perish,  save  that  they  should  repent  of  their  iniquities ; 
wherefore,  they  came  unto  me  and  loosed  the  bands 
which  were  upon  my  wrists,  and  behold  they  had 
much  swollen,  exceedingly ;  and  also  mine  ankles 
were  much  swollen,  and  great  was  the  soreness  there- 
of. Nevertheless,  I  did  look  unto  my  God^  and  I  did 
praise  him  all  the  day  long ;  and  I  did  not  murmur 


100  MORMONISM  : 

against  the  Lord  because  of  mine  afflictions.  .  .  .  And 
it  came  to  pass  that  after  they  had  loosed  me,  behold, 
I  took  the  compass,  and  it  did  work  whither  I  de- 
sired it.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  prayed  nnto 
the  Lord;  and  after  that  I  had  prayed,  the  winds 
did  cease,  and  the  storm  did  cease,  and  there  was  a 
great  calm. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  I,  Nephi,  did  guide  the 
ship,  that  we  sailed  again  toward  the  promised  land. 
And  it  came  to  pass  that  after  we  had  sailed  for  the 
space  of  many  days,  we  did  arrive  at  the  promised 
land ;  and  we  went  forth  npon  the  land,  and  did 
pitch  our  tents ;  and  we  did  call  it  the  Promised 
Land. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  we  did  begin  to  till  the 
earth,  and  we  began  to  plant  seeds  ;  yea,  we  did  put 
all  our  seeds  into  the  earth,  which  we  had  brought 
from  the  land  of  Jerusalem.  And  it  came  to  pass 
that  they  did  grow  exceedingly ;  wherefore  we  were 
blessed  in  abundance. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  we  did  find  upon  the 
Land  of  Promise,  as  we  journeyed  in  the  wilderness, 
that  there  were  beasts  in  the  forests  of  every  kind, 
both  the  cow  and  the  ox,  and  the  ass,  and  the  horse, 
and  the  goat,  and  the  wild  goat,  and  all  manner  of 
wild  animals,  which  were  for  the  use  of  man.  And  we 
did  find  all  manner  of  ore,  both  of  gold  and  of  silver, 
and  of  copper, 


ITS   OEIGIKr,   EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  101 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  Lord  commanded 
me,  wherefore  I  did  make  plates  of  ore,  that  I  might 
engraven  upon  them  the  record  of  my  people.  And 
ujion  the  plates  which  I  made  I  did  engraven  the 
record  of  my  father,  and  also  our  journeyings  in  the 
wilderness,  and  the  prophecies  of  my  father ;  and  also 
many  of  mine  own  prophecies  have  I  engraven  upon 
them.  And  I  knew  not  at  that  time  when  I  made 
them  that  I  should  be  commanded  of  the  Lord  to 
make  these  plates ;  wherefore  the  record  of  my  father, 
and  tlie  genealogy  of  his  fathers,  and  the  more  part 
of  all  our  proceedings  in  the  wilderness,  are  engraven 
u23on  the  plates  of  winch  I  have  spoken 

"  And  after  that  I  had  made  these  plates  by  way 
of  commandment,  I,  Nephi,  received  a  commandment 
that  the  ministry,  and  the  prophecies,  the  more  plain 
and  precious  parts  of  them,  should  be  written  upoji 
these  plates  ;  and  that  the  things  which  were  written 
should  be  kept  for  the  instruction  of  my  people,  which 
should  possess  the  land,  and  also  for  other  wise  pur- 
poses, which  purposes  are  known  unto  the  Lord ; 
wherefore  I,  ISTephi,  did  make  a  record  upon  the  other 
plates,  which  gives  an  account,  or  which  gives  a 
greater  account  of  the  wars,  and  contentions,  and 
destruction  of  my  people.  And  this  have  I  done, 
and  commanded  my  people  that  they  should  do,  after 
that  I  was  gone,  and  that  these -plates  should  be 
handed  down  from  one  generation  to  another,  or  from 


102  MOEMONISM  : 

one  prophet  to  another,  until  further  commandments 

of  the  Lord 

"  And  thus  they  did  put  an  end  to  all  those 
wicked,  and  secret,  and  abominable  combinations, 
in  the  which  there  was  so  much  wickedness,  and  so 
many  murders  committed.  And  thus  had  the  twenty- 
and-second  year  passed  away,  and  the  twenty-and- 
tbird  year  also,  and  the  twenty-and-fourth,  and  the 
twenty-and-fifth  ;  and  thus  had  twenty-and-hve  years 
passed  away,  and  there  had  many  things  transpired 
which,  in  the  eyes  of  some,  would  be  great  and  mar- 
vellous ;  nevertheless,  they  cannot  all  be  written  in 
this  book ;  yea,  this  book  cannot  contain  even  a  ]iun- 
dredth  j^art  of  what  was  done  among  so  many  people 
in  the  space  of  twenty-and-five  years  ;  but  behold 
there  are  records  which  do  contain  all  tlie  proceedings 
of  this  people,  and  a  more  short  but  true  account  was 
given  by  Nephi ;  therefore  I  have  made  my  record  of 
these  things  according  to  the  record  of  Nephi,  which 
were  engraven  on  the  plates  which  were  called  the 
plates  of  Nephi.  And  behold,  I  do  make  the  record 
on  plates  which  I  have  made  with  mine  own  hands. 
And  behold,  I  am  called  Mormon,  being  called  after 
the  land  of  Mormon,  the  land  in  the  which  Alma  did 
establish  the  church  among  the  people  ;  yea,  the  first 
church  which  was  established  among  them  after  their 
transgression.  Behold,  I  am  a  disciple  of  Jesus  Christ, 
the  Son  of  God.     I  have  been  called  of  him  to  declare 


ITS    OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  103 

his  word  among  his  people,  that  they  might  haA'e  ever- 
lasting life 

"And  it  came  to  j^ass  in  the  thirty-and-fourth 
year,  in  the  first  month,  in  the  fourth  day  of  the 
month,  there  arose  a  great  storm,  such  an  one  as 
never  had  been  known  in  all  the  land  ;  and  there  was 
also  a  great  and  terrible  tempest ;  and  there  was  ter- 
rible thunder,  insom^uch  that  it  did  shake  the  whole 
earth  as  if  it  was  about  to  divide  asunder ;  and  there 
was  exceeding  sharp  lightnings,  such  as  never  had 
been  known  in  all  the  land.  And  the  city  of  Zara- 
hemla  did  take  fire ;  and  the  city  of  Moroni  did  sink 
into  the  depths  of  the  sea,  and  the  inhabitants  thereof 
were  drowned ;  and  the  earth  was  carried  up  upon 
the  city  of  Moronihah,  that  in  the  place  of  the  city 
thereof  there  became  a  great  mountain ;  and  there 
was  a  great  and  terrible  destruction  in  the  land  south- 
ward. But  behold,  there  was  a  more  great  and  ter- 
rible destruction  in  the  land  northward ;  for  behold, 
the  whole  face  of  the  land  was  changed  because  of 
the  tempest,  and  the  whirlwinds,  and  the  thunderings, 
and  the  lightnings,  and  the  exceeding  great  quaking 
of  the  whole  earth ;  and  the  highways  were  broken 
up,  and  the  level  roads  were  spoiled,  and  many  smooth 
places  became  rough,  and  many  great  and  notable 
cities  were  sunk,  and  many  were  burned,  and  many 
were  shook  till  the  buildings  thereof  had  fallen  to  the 
earth,  and  the  inhabitants  thereof  were  slain,  and  the 


104  MOEMONISM  : 

places  were  left  desolate ;  and  there  were  some  cities 
which  remained  ;  but  the  damage  thereof  was  exceed- 
ing great,  and  there  were  many  in  them  which  were 
slain;  and  there  were  some  which  were  carried  away 
in  the  whirlwind ;  and  whither  they  went  no  man 
knoweth,  save  they  know  that  they  were  carried 
away ;  and  thus  the  face  of  the  whole  earth  became 
deformed  because  of  the  tempests,  and  the  thunder- 
ings,  and  the  lightnings,  and  the  quaking  of  the  earth. 
And  behold  the  rocks  were  rent  in  twain ;  yea,  they 
were  broken  up  upon  the  face  of  the  whole  earth,  in- 
somuch that  they  were  found  in  broken  fragments, 
and  in  seams,  and  in  cracks,  upon  all  the  face  of  the 
land 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  there  was  thick  dark- 
ness upon  the  face  of  all  the  land,  insomuch  that  the 
inhabitants  thereof  which  had  not  fallen  could  feel 
the  vapor  of  darkness  ;  and  there  could  be  no  light 
because  of  the  darkness,  neither  candles,  neither 
torches ;  neither  could  there  be  fire  kindled  with 
their  fine  and  exceeding  dry  wood,  so  that  there 
could  not  be  any  light  at  all ;  and  there  was  not  any 
light  seen,  neither  fire,  nor  glimmer,  neither  the  sun, 
nor  the  moon,  nor  the  stars,  for  so  great  were  the 
mists  of  darkness  which  were  upon  the  face  of  the 
land. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  it  did  last  for  the  space 
of  three  days,  that  there  was  no  light  seen ;  and  there 


ITS   OKIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  105 

was  great  mourning,  and  howling,  and  weeping  among 
all  the  people  continually  ;  yea,  great  were  the  groan- 
ings  of  the  people,  because  of  the  darkness  and  the 
great  destruction  which  had  come  upon  them.  And 
in  one  place  they  were  heard  to  cry,  saying :  O  that 
we  had  repented  before  this  great  and  terrible  day, 
and  had  not  killed  and  stoned  the  prophets,  and  cast 
them  out ;  then  would  our  mothers,  and  our  fair 
daughters,  and  our  children  have  been  spared,  and 
not  have  been  buried  up  in  that  great  city  Moronihah ; 
and  thus  Avere  the  bowlings  of  the  people  great  and 
terrible 

"And  now  I,  Mormon,  being  about  to  deliver  up 
the  record  which  I  have  been  making,  into  the  hands 
of  my  son  Moroni,  behold,  I  have  witnessed  almost 
all  the  destruction  of  my  people,  the  Nephites.  And 
it  is  many  hundred  years  after  the  coming  of  Christ 
that  I  deliver  these  records  into  the  hands  of  my  son ; 
and  it  supposeth  me  that  he  will  witness  the  entire 
destruction  of  my  people.  But  may  God  grant  that 
he  may  survive  them,  that  he  may  write  somewhat 
concerning  them,  and  somewhat  concerning  Christ, 
that  perhaps  some  day  it  may  profit  them. 

"And  now  I  speak  somewhat  concerning  that 
which  I  have  written,  for  after  that  I  had  made  an 
abridgment  from  the  plates  of  Nephi  down  to  the 
reign  of  this  King  Benjamin,  of  which  Amaleki  spake, 
I  searched  among  the  records  which  had  been  deliv- 
5* 


106  MOEMONISM  : 

ered  into  my  hands,  and  I  found  these  plates,  which 
contained  this  small  account  of  the  prophets,  from 
Jacob  down  to  the  reign  of  the  King  Benjamin  ;  and 
also  many  of  the  words  of  Nephi.  And  the  things 
which  are  upon  these  plates  pleasing  me,  because  of 
the  prophecies  of  the  coming  of  Christ ;  and  my 
fathers  knowing  that  many  of  them  have  been  ful- 
filled ;  wherefore,  I  chose  these  things  to  finish  my 
record  upon  them,  which  remainder  of  my  record  I 
shall  take  from  the  plates  of  Nephi ;  and  I  cannot 
write  a  hundredth  part  of  the  things  of  my  people. 
But  behold,  I  shall  take  these  plates,  which  contain 
these  prophesyings  and  revelations,  and  put  them 
with  the  remainder  of  my  record,  for  they  are  choice 
unto  me ;  and  1  know  they  will  be  choice  unto  my 
brethren. 

"And  now  I,  Mormon,  proceed  to  finish  out  my 
record,  which  I  take  from  the  plates  of  Nephi ;  and 
I  make  it  according  to  the  knowledge  and  the  under- 
standing which  God  hath  given  me.  Wherefore,  it 
came  to  pass  that  after  Amaleki  had  delivered  up 
these  plates  into  the  hands  of  King  Benjamin,  he  took 
them  and  put  them  with  the  other  plates  which  con- 
tained records  which  had  been  handed  down  by  the 
kings  from  generation  to  generation,  until  the  days  of 
King  Benjamin,  from  generation  to  generation,  until 
they  have  fallen  into  my  hands.  And  I,  Mormon, 
pray  to  God  that  they  may  be  preserved  from  this 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  107 

time  henceforth.  And  I  know  that  they  will  be  pre- 
served ;  for  there  are  great  things  written  upon  them, 
out  of  which  my  people  and  their  brethren  shall  be 
judged  at  the  great  and  last  day,  according  to  the 
word  of  God  which  is  written 

"And  now  I,  Mormon,  make  a  record  of  the  thincrs 
which  I  have  both  seen  and  heard,  and  call  it  the 
Book  of  Mormon.  And  about  the  time  that  Ammaron 
hid  up  the  records  unto  the  Lord,  he  came  unto  me,  (I 
being  about  ten  years  of  age,  and  I  began  to  be 
learned  somewhat  after  the  manner  of  the  learning 
of  my  people,)  and  Ammaron  saith  unto  me,  I  per- 
ceive that  thou  art  a  sober  child,  and  art  quick  to 
observe  ;  therefore  when  ye  are  about  twenty-and- 
four  years  old,  I  would  that  ye  should,  remember  the 
things  that  ye  have  observed  concerning  this  people  ; 
and  when  ye  are  of  that  age,  go  to  the  land  of  Antum, 
unto  a  hill  which  shall  be  called  Shim;  and  there  have 
I  deposited  unto  the  Lord  all  the  sacred  engravings 
concerning  this  people.  And  behold,  ye  shall  take 
the  plates  of  IN'ephi  unto  yourself,  and  the  remainder 
shall  ye  leave  in  the  place  where  they  are  ;  and  ye 
shall  engrave  upon  the  plates  of  Nephi  all  the  things 
that  ye  have  observed  concerning  this  people.  And 
I,  Mormon,  being  a  descendant  of  Nephi,  (and  my 
father's  name  Avas  Mormon,)  I  remembered  the  things 
which  Ammaron  commanded  me 

"And  now*I  finish  my  record  concerning  the  de- 


108  MOKMONISM  : 

struction  of  my  people,  the  Nephites.  And  it  came 
to  pass  that  we  did  march  forth  before  the  Lamanites. 
And  I,  Mormon,  wrote  an  epistle  unto  the  king  of  the 
Lamanites,  and  desired  of  him  that  he  would  grant 
unto  us  that  we  might  gather  together  our  people 
unto  the  land  of  Camorah,  by  a  hill  which  was  called 
Camorah,  and  there  we  would  give  them  battle.  .  .  . 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  we  had  gathered 
in  all  our  people  as  one  to  the  land  of  Camorah,  be- 
hold I,  Mormon,  began  to  be  old ;  and  knowing  it  to 
be  the  last  struggle  of  my  people,  and  having  been 
commanded  of  the  Lord  that  I  should  not  suffer  that 
the  records  which  had  been  handed  down  by  our  fa- 
thers, which  were  sacred,  to  fall  into  the  hands  of  the 
Lamanites,  (for  the  Lamanites  would  destroy  them,) 
therefore  I  made  this  record  out  of  the  plates  of  Ne- 
phi,  and  hid  up  in  the  hill  Camorah  all  the  records 
which  had  been  intrusted  to  me  by  the  hand  of  the 
Lord,  save  it  were  these  few  plates  which  I  gave  unto 
my  son  Moroni.* 

"  Behold  I,  Moroni,  do  finish  the  record  of  my 
father  Mormon.     Behold,  I  have  but  few  things  to 

*  From  the  Book  of  Ether :  "And  behold  these  two  stones  will  I 
give  unto  thee,  and  ye  shall  seal  them  up  also,  with  the  things  which 
ye  shall  write.  For  behold  the  language  which  ye  shall  write  I  have 
confounded  ;  wherefore,  I  will  cause  in  my  own  due  time  that  these 
stones  shall  magnify  to  the  eyes  of  men  those  things  which  ye  shall 
write."     [Urim  and  Thummim.] 


ITS    ORIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  109 

write,  which  things  I  have  been  commanded  of  my 
father.  And  now  it  came  to  pass  that  after  the  great 
and  tremendous  battle  at  Camorah,  behold,  the  Ne- 
phites  which  had  escaped  into  the  country  southward, 
were  hunted  by  the  Lamanites  until  they  were  all  de- 
stroyed ;  and  my  father  also  was  killed  by  them  ;  and 
I,  even  I  remaineth  alone  to  write  the  sad  tale  of  the 
destruction  of  my  people.  But  behold  they  are  gone, 
and  I  fulfil  the  commandment  of  my  father.  Behold, 
four  hundred  years  have  passed  away  since  the  com- 
ing of  our  Lord  and  Saviour.  And  behold,  the  Laman- 
ites have  hunted  my  people,  the  Kephites,  down  from 
city  to  city,  and  from  place  to  place,  even  until  they 
are  no  more ;  and  great  has  been  their  fall ;  yea,  great 
and  marvellous  is  the  destruction  of  my  people,  the 

Nej)hites 

"  Behold,  I  am  Moroni ;  and  were  it  possible,  I 
would  make  all  things  known  unto  you.  Behold,  I 
make  an  end  of  speaking  concerning  this  people.  I 
am  the  son  of  Mormon,  and  my  father  was  a  descend- 
ant of  Nephi ;  and  I  am  the  same  which  hideth  up 
this  record  unto  the  Lord  ;  the  plates  thereof  are  of  no 
worth,  because  of  the  commandment  of  the  Lord.  For 
he  truly  saith,  That  no  one  shall  have  them  to  get 
gain  ;  but  the  record  thereof  is  of  great  worth  ;  and 
whoso  shall  bring  it  to  light,  him  will  the  Lord  bless. 
For  none  can  have  power  to  bring  it  to  light,  save  it 
be  given  him  of  God ;  for  God  will  that  it  shall  be 


110  moemonism: 

clone  with  an  eye  single  to  his  gloiy,  or  the  welfare  of 
the  ancient  and  long-dispersed  covenant  people  of  the 
Lord.  And  blessed  be  him  that  shall  bring  this  thing 
to  light ;  for  it  shall  be  brought  out  of  darkness  unto 
light,  according  to  the  word  of  God ;  yea,  it  shall  be 
brought  out  of  the  earth,  and  it  shall  shine  forth  out 
of  darkness  and  come  unto  the  knowledge  of  the  peo- 
ple :  and  it  shall  be  done  by  the  power  of  God  ;  and 
if  there  be  faults,  they  be  the  faults  of  a  man." 


ITS    OPvIGm,    EISE,    AND    PKOGEESS.  Ill 


CHAPTER  IX. 

Origin  of  the  Book  of  Mormon — Who  wrote  it? — Mormon  Legends — 
Solomon  Spaulding's  Fable — Rigdon  and  Smith  the  Schemers. 

The  Book  of  MormoD,  viewed  in  any  sense  as  a 
literary  production,  is  scarcely  worthy  of  criticism 
or  remark;  but  when  considered  "as  the  accepted 
groundwork  of  the  religious  faith  of  a  people  whose 
growth  has  been  most  extraordinary,  and  whose 
fanaticism  is  an  astonishing  phenomenon  in  psychol- 
ogy, the  book  has  more  than  an  ephemeral  interest " 
for  the  student  of  human  philosophy.  As  a  curiosity 
merely,  not  as  a  readable  romance,  it  commands  a 
place  in  respectable  libraries. 

But  neither  the  specimen  passages  reprinted  in  the 
preceding  pages,  nor  the  book  in  its  entirety,  furnish 
any  satisfactory  answer  to  the  question  of  its  origin 
and  purpose.  Nor  is  such  answer  found  in  the  fab- 
ulous visions  and  revelations  of  the  pretender  Smith, 
nominally  corroborated  as  they  are  by  the  testimony' 
of  his  eleven  confederate  witnesses.  The  glyph  prob- 
lem, even  if  Smith  had  obtained  one  of  those  fossil 


112  MOBMONISM  : 

curiositieSj  as  Las  been  suggested  in  another  connec- 
tion, can  in  no  wise  api3ly  in  this  case.  These  ques- 
tions, therefore,  must  necessarily  be  left  to  individual 
choice  of  solution,  as  between  the  conflicting  theories 
and  evidence  at  hand ;  and  it  will  best  accord  with 
the  design  of  this  publication,  to  present  for  that  choice 
the  opposing  conclusions  of  Mormons  and  Gentiles. 

"  That  a  single  man,  in  the  midst  of  the  enlighten- 
ment of  this  century,  should  have  been  able  to  throw 
the  lines  of  mysticism  so  thoroughly  over  the  minds 
of  hundreds  and  thousands  of  men  and  women,  is 
not  more  wonderful  than  the  earnest  and  self-denying 
faith  with  which  his  devotees  have  sustained  an  un- 
broken unity,  under  circumstances  of  remarkable  pri- 
vation and  peril.     [NTor  is  it  less  surprising  that  the 
assumption  of  a  power  very  nearly  absolute,  by  one 
man,  who  is  regarded  as  the  legitimate  successor  of 
the  original  prophet,  has  come  to  be  accepted  by  this 
people  as  a  divine  ordination,  and  that  to  one  guiding 
spirit  alone  is  yielded  the  homage  and  obedience  which 
insure  the  autocratic  sway  of  Brigham  Young.     Con- 
sidered in  all  their  relations — religious,  political,  moral, 
or  social — the  Mormons  are  a  curious  people.     Occu- 
pying for  their  headquarters  a  portion  of  the  American 
continent  which  is  far  removed  from  the  influences  of 
civilization,*  and  indeed  is  for  many  months  in  the 

*  This  description  (from  Introduction  to  Wright  &  Co.'s  New  York 
edition  "Book  of  Mormon")  dates  back  to  the  beginning  of  the  Mor- 


113 


year  totally  inaccessible — cooped  up  among  overhang- 
ing mountains — destitute  of  the  refinements  of  ordi- 
nary social  life — hent  beneath  the  sway  of  an  unscru- 
pulous hierarchy — holding  to  practices  which,  else- 
where than  in  their  own  territory,  would  subject  them 
to  the  penalties  of  the  law ;  and,  withal,  noted  for 
a  spirit  of  zeal,  industry,  and  perseverance,  which  has 
enabled  them  to  convert  the  wildest  moods  of  IN'ature 
into  servants  of  their  will — the  Mormons  have  earned 
an  enduring  reputation  for  bincerity,  and  energy,  and 
capacity.  When  the  secrets  of  their  origin^  and  prog- 
ress and  government,  shall  have  been  added  to  the 
published  record  of  their  religious  belief,  this  peojole 
will  rank  among  the  most  extraordinary  of  all  the 
sects  that  have  sprung  into  life  as  the  world  has  run 
its  course." 

First,  in  the  pursuit  of  information  showing  the 
true  origin  and  correct  history  of  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, let  the  reader  consider  the  legendary  account 
adopted  by  the  Mormons  themselves.  This  is  fur- 
nished in  a  published  statement  by  Parley  P.  Pratt, 
the  early  convert  at  Palmyra,  and  the  contemporary 
of  Smith  and  Rigdon  at  their  first  confederated  ap- 
pearance in  Ohio,  and  also  an  accepted  oracle  in  the 
subsequent  history  of  Mormonism.  According  to  that 
authority,  the  Latter-Day  Saints  claim  that  "  a  portion 

mon  colony  in  Utah,  when  that  territory  was  yet  in  the  wilds  of 
Mexico,  and  before  its  acquisition  by  the  United  States. 


ll-i  moemonism: 

of  their  history  runs  back  to  that  extremely  remote 
age  when  the  tongues  were  confounded  at  the  Tower 
of  Babel.  They  hold  that  at  the  time  of  that  event, 
the  tribes  of  the  earth  were  scattered  abroad,  and 
that  the  migrations  of  one  particular  colony  were  es- 
pecially directed  by  the  Lord,  who  led  the  favored 
few  across  the  sea  to  the  Western  Continent,  now 
called  America.  This  colony  inhabited  America  for 
some  fifteen  hundred  years,  but  were  destroyed  for 
their  wickedness  at  a  period  about  six  hundred  years 
before  Christ.  A  prophet.  Ether,  was  their  historian, 
and  one  of  the  books  in  the  Mormon  Bible,  which 
bears  his  name,  gives  a  full  account  of  his  genealogy 
and  of  the  nature  of  his  prophetic  office.  Ether  seems 
to  have  been  a  lineal  descendant  from  Jared,  and 
Jared  was  one  of  the  favored  colony,  led  out  from 
the  polyglot  tribulation  at  the  Tower,  and  conducted 
subsequently  to  the  land  of  rest  which  was  provided 
on  the  territory  now  kno-\vii  as  America.  The  prophet 
lived  to  see  the  last  vestige  of  his  nation  become  ex- 
tinct, and,  having  finished  his  record  of  its  history 
and  destruction,  deposited  it,  under  divine  direc- 
tion, in  the  locality  where  it  was  found  by  another 
colony. 

"  The  second  colony,  according  to  the  best  Mormon 
authority,  was  comjDosed  of  Israelites,  and  came  from 
Jerusalem  about  the  year  600  b.  c,  occupying  the 
place  of  the  original  colony,  which  was  then  extinct. 


ITS   OKIGrN",   RISE,   AND   PEOGEESS.  115 

and  repeopling  America.  The  new  colonists  were  de- 
scendants of  the  tribe  of  Joseph.  They  grew  and 
multiplied,  became  rich  and  powerful,  and  in  process 
of  time  divided  into  two  nations ;  one  of  which,  the 
Nephites,  so  named  after  its  founder  Nephi,  became 
noted  for  enlightenment  and  civilization, — while  the 
other  branch,  the  Lamanites,  taking  their  name  from 
their  leader  Laman,  lapsed  into  barbarism,  and  were 
destitute  of  the  refinements  and  advantages  which 
attend  a  state  of  civilized  existence.  The  Mormon 
historians  make  this  latter  branch  the  immediate  pro- 
genitors of  the  American  Indians. 

"  The  Mormon  history  proceeds  to  record  the 
progress  of  the  opposing  nations  of  the  ISTephites  and 
the  Lamanites.  The  Nephites  appear  to  have  been 
highly  favored  of  the  Lord.  They  enjoyed  visions, 
received  the  visitation  of  angels,  and  the  gift  of 
prophecy  was  handed  down  from  age  to  age.  Final- 
ly, they  were  blessed  with  a  personal  appearance  of 
Jesus  Christ  after  His  resurrection  from  the  dead  ;  re- 
ceived from  Him  the  doctrine  of  the  Gospel,  and  were 
invested  with  the  power  of  foretelling  the  events  of 
the  future.  In  this  happy  condition  of  grace  and 
wisdom,  the  race  of  the  Nephites  continued  until  the 
fourth  century  of  the  Christian  era,  when,  through 
temptation,  they  fell  from  their  high  estate,  and 
finally  were  destroyed  by  their  wicked  neighbors, 
the    Lamanites.      The    most    noted   prophet   of  the 


116  MOEMONISM  : 

golden  age  of  the  Nephites  was  Mormon.  By  di- 
vine commandment,  Mormon  made  an  abridgment  of 
the  sacred  records,  which  contained  the  history  of 
his  forefathers,  narrated  the  prophecies  which  were 
made  to  them,  and  sketched  the  events  which  at- 
tended the  introduction  of  the  Gospel  among  them. 
The  history  of  his  own  time  was  appended  to  this 
record,  and  Mormon  put  the  finishing  touch  to  his 
historical  labors,  by  narrating  the  destruction  of  his 
nation — both  he  and  his  predecessor  Ether  having 
been  permitted  to  escape  the  general  destruction,  in 
order  that  the  record  of  the  great  events  which  pro- 
duced the  catastrophe  might  descend  safely  to  future 
generations.  Mormon,  having  completed  his  work, 
laid  him  down  to  die.  and  intrusted  to  his  son 
Moroni  the  task  of  concealing  the  plates  upon  which 
he  had  recorded  the  story  of  his  nation.  From  this 
point  commences  the  history  of  the  Mormon  Bible. 

"  In  order  to  preserve  the  plates  from  falling  into 
the  impious  hands  of  the  Lamanites,  Moroni  deposited 
them  carefully  in  the  earth,  in  a  locality  then  called 
the  Hill  Camorah — now  a  part  of  Ontario  County, 
in  the  State  of  New  York.  The  record  was  carefully 
sealed  up,  and  buried  several  feet  below  the  surface 
of  the  hill,  and  the  date  of  that  occurrence  is  fixed 
about  A.  D.  420.  Fourteen  hundred  years  j^assed 
away,  until,  on  the  22d  day  of  September,  1827,  an 
angel  of  the  Lord  directed  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.   (the 


ITS    ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PE0GEES8.  117 

original  prophet),  to  exhume  the  long-buried  his- 
tory." * 

The  legend  proceeds  with  descriptions  of  the  me- 
tallic volume,  a  part  of  which  was  sealed  and  not  to 
be  seen,  even  by  Smith  himself,  until  further  revela- 
tion, and  also  of  the  Urim  and  Thummim  or  large 
spectacles  to  be  used  in  translating,  which  are  sub- 
stantially the  same  as  given  elsewhere. 

According  to  similar  "latter-day"  accounts,  the 
wonderful  event  was  followed  by  great  popular  com- 
motion; though  these  things  were  not  perceived  or 
heard  of  at  the  time  and  locality  of  the  original  story. 
The  following  exciting  description  has  been  published 
by  the  Mormons : 

"  Soon  the  news  of  these  discoveries  by  Jo- 
seph Smith,  Jr.,  spread  abroad  throughout  all  those 
parts.  False  reports,  misrepresentations,  and  base 
slanders,  flew  as  if  upon  the  wings  of  the  wind,  in 
every  direction.  His  house  w^as  frequently  beset  by 
mobs  and  evil-designing  persons.  Several  times  he 
was  shot  at,  and  very  narrowly  escaped.  Every  de- 
vice was  used  to  get  the  plates  away  from  him.  And 
being  continually  in  danger  of  his  life  from  a  gang  of 
abandoned  wretches,  he  at  length  concluded  to  leave 
the  place  and  go  to  Pennsylvania ;  and,  accordingly, 
packed  up  his  goods,  jjutting  the  plates  into  a  barrel 

*  Mormon  publication  in  London,  1854,  by  Parley  P.  Pratt,     Then 
a  foreign  missionary  in  the  cause  of  the  "  saints." 


118  MOEMONISM  : 

of  beans,  and  proceeded  upon  his  journey.  He  had 
not  gone  far,  before  he  was  overtaken  by  an  officer 
with  a  search-warrant,  who  flattered  himself  with  the 
idea  that  he  should  surely  obtain  the  plates ;  but  after 
searching  very  diligently,  he  was  sadly  disappointed 
at  not  finding  them.  Mr.  Smith  then  drove  on,  but 
before  he  got  to  his  journey's  end  he  was  again  over- 
taken by  the  officer  on  the  same  business,  and  after 
ransacking  the  wagon  very  carefully,  he  went  his 
way  as  much  chagrined  as  in  the  first  instance,  at 
not  being  able  to  discover  the  object  of  his  search. 
Without  any  further  molestation,  he  pursued  his 
journey  until  he  came  into  the  northern  part  of  Penn- 
sylvania, near  the  Susquehanna  River.  Here,  by  the 
power  of  God,  and  with  the  aid  of  two  crystals  set  in 
a  bow  (the  Urim  and  Thummim),  he  translated  the 
unsealed  portion  of  the  records  into  the  English 
tongue,  in  obedience  to  the  divine  command." 

The  latter  portion  of  this  Mormon  second-thought 
— the  alleged  procurement  of  the  "  translations  "  in 
Pennsylvania — is  probably  a  little  nearer  the  truth 
than  the  pretensions  first  put  forth  by  Smith,  Cow- 
dery,  Harris,  and  their  prime  associates;  for  their 
story  then  was,  that  the  translations  were  made  in 
the  manner  before  stated,  at  Smith's  residence  in 
Manchester.  Whereas,  no  doubt,  the  exact  truth  is, 
that  a  copy  of  their  production  was  made  from  a  manu- 
script then  held  by  an  accomplice  in  Pennsylvania. 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PROGKESS.  119 

The  whole  idea  of  an  attempt  to  harm  Smith  in 
any  way,  or  to  rob  him  of  his  "  golden  bible,"  is 
purely  a  Mormon  invention,  based  upon  no  other  cir- 
cumstance in  truth,  than  that  an  individual  creditor 
in  vain  sent  a  constable  after  him  in  the  hope  of  se- 
curing the  payment  of  a  small  debt. 

"  Elder  Oliver  Cowdery,"  who  was  one  of  the 
pioneer  Mormons  at  Manchester  and  Palmyra,  pub- 
lished at  Independence,  Mo.,  in  1834,  a  description  of 
the  hill  where  Smith  claimed  to  have  obtained  the 
records,  with  the  following  ingenious  account  of  their 
deposit  by  Moroni ;  and  the  same  account  was  repub- 
lished by  one  of  the  Mormon  missionaries  at  Edin- 
burgh in  1840  : 

"  How  far  below  the  surface  these  records  were 
placed  by  Moroni,  I  am  unable  to  say  ;  but  from  the 
fact  that  they  had  been  some  fourteen  hundred  years 
buried,  and  that,  too,  on  the  side  of  a  hill  so  steep, 
one  is  ready  to  conclude  that  they  were  some  feet  be- 
low, as  the  earth  would  naturally  wear,  more  or  less, 
in  that  length  of  time ;  but  they  being  placed  toward 
the  top  of  the  hill,  the  ground  w^ould  not  remove  as 
much  as  at  two-thirds  of  the  way  up,  perhaps.  An- 
other circumstance  would  prevent  a  wearing  of  the 
earth ;  in  all  probability,  as  soon  as  timber  had  time 
to  grow,  the  hill  was  covered  after  the  Nephites  were 
destroyed,  and  the  roots  of  the  same  would  hold  the 
surface;  however,  on  this  point,  I  shall  leave  every 


120  moemonism: 

man  to  draw  his  own  conclusion,  and  form  his  own 
speculation.  A  hole  of  sufficient  depth  was  dug  ;  at 
the  bottom  of  this  was  laid  a  stone  of  suitable  size, 
the  upper  surface  being  smooth ;  at  each  edge  was 
placed  a  large  quantity  of  cement,  and  into  this  ce- 
ment at  the  four  edges  of  this  stone,  were  placed 
erect  four  others ;  their  bottom  edges  resting  in  the 
cement,  at  the  outer  edges  of  the  first  stone.  The 
four  last  named,  when  placed  erect,  formed  a  box ; 
the  corners,  or  where  the  edges  of  the  four  came  in 
contact,  were  also  cemented  so  firmly,  that  the  mois- 
ture from  without  was  prevented  from  entering.  It 
is  to  be  observed,  also,  that  the  inner  surface  of  the 
four  erect  or  side  stones  was  smooth.  This  box  was 
sufficiently  large  to  admit  a  breast-plate,  such  as  was 
used  by  the  ancients  to  defend  the  chest,  etc.,  from 
the  arrows  and  weapons  of  their  enemy.  From  the 
bottom  of  the  box,  or  from  the  breast-plate,  arose 
three  small  pillars,  comj3osed  of  the  same  descrii^tion 
of  cement  used  on  the  edges ;  and  upon  these  three 
jiillars  was  placed  the  record.  This  box  (Sontaining 
the  record  was  covered  with  another  stone,  the  bot- 
tom surface  being  flat,  and  the  upper  crowning." 

Does  the  reader  require  proof  of  the  utter  untruth 
of  all  this  parade  of  particulars  about  finding  any 
thing  of  the  kind  pretended,  either  in  Ontario  County 
or  elsewhere?  But  it  is  a  noticeable  incident  in  the 
whole  progress  of  the  imposture,  that  the  uneducated 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  121 

and  ignorant  character  of  Smith  was  turned  to  his 
advantage  over  his  followers.  His  want  of  cultiva- 
tion in  respect  to  "  the  world's  wisdom,"  precluded  in 
their  minds  the  idea  of  the  exercise  of  any  natural  or 
acquired  faculties  in  producing  his  wonderful  revela- 
tions and  translations.  Their  reasoning  was  :  "  He  is 
unlearned  of  men,  therefore  how  eould  he  acquire  the 
ancient  learning  displayed,  if  it  were  not  supernatu- 
rally  communicated  to  him  ?  "  And  they  argued,  that 
he  could  not  have  made  the  translations  without  the 
plates.     Convincing  logic  for  the  Mormon  fanatics  ! 

Here  comes  in  for  application  and  reflection  tlie 
coincidence  of  Sidney  Rigdon's  long-continued  incog- 
nito sojournments  at  the  money-digger's  residence 
during  the  Mormon  incubation.  Who  can  doubt 
that  he  and  Smith  had  become  confederates  in  a 
grand  scheme  of  cupidity  and  imposture  ?  They  had 
surreptitiously  possessed  themselves  of  a  fabulous 
composition  peculiarly  adapted  to  their  design.  Se- 
crecy and  falsehood  were  necessary  to  the  success  of 
such  a  scheme,  and  to  these,  it  is  self-evident,  they 
were  mutually  sworn.  The  following  explanatory 
statements,  received  from  the  best  authority,  supply 
the  proof: 

"About   the   year  1809,  the   Reverend   Solomon 

Spaulding,   a   clergyman   who   had    graduated   from 

Dartmouth  College,  and  settled  in  the  town  of  Cherry 

Valley,  in  the  State  of  New  York,  removed  from  that 

6 


122  MOEMONISM  : 

l^lace  to  ISiew  Salem  (Conneaut),  Ashtabula  County, 
Ohio.  Mr.  Spaulding  was  an  enthusiastic  archgeolo- 
gist.  The  region  to  which  he  removed  was  rich  in 
American  antiquities.  The  mounds  and  traces  of  for- 
tifications abounding  there,  which  have  puzzled  the 
brains  of  many  patient  explorers,  attracted  his  atten- 
tion. On  account  of  failing  health,  he  had  retired 
from  the  active  labors  of  his  profession  ;  and  being 
possessed  of  a  lively  imagination,  and  familiar  with 
the  classics  and  ancient  history,  he  sought  to  beguile 
the  hours  of  retirement  and  employ  his  mind  by 
writing  a  fabulous  historical  record  of  a  long-lost 
race,  adopting  the  hypothesis  that  his  manuscript 
was  found  in  one  of  the  mounds.  He  accepted  the 
theory  that  the  American  continent  had  been  peopled 
by  a  colony  of  the  ancient  Israelites.  The  ample  ma- 
terial by  which  he  was  surrounded,  full  of  mythical 
interest  and  legendary  suggestiveness,  led  him  to  the 
conception  of  the  curious  literary  project  referred  to. 
The  work  w^as  commenced,  and  progressed  slowly  for 
some  time.  Portions  of  it  were  read  by  Mr.  Spauld- 
ing to  his  friends,  as  its  different  sections  were  com- 
pleted, and  after  about  three  years'  labor,  that  is,  in 
1812  or  1813,  the  volume  w^as  completed,  bearing  the 
title  of  '  The  Manuscript  Found.'  "  Mr.  Spaulding 
submitted  his  work  to  a  printer  named  Patterson,  at 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  with  a  view  to  its  publication  on 
joint  account.     The  printing  proposal,  however,  for 


ITS    OKIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  123 

some  reason,  was  not  carried  out,  and  the  manuscript 
remained  in  Patterson's  office  until  1816,  when  it  was 
reclaimed  by  the  author,  who  in  that  year  removed  to 
Amity,  Washington  County,  K.  Y.,  where  he  died 
in  1827.  The  manuscript  remained  in  the  widow's 
possession  until  it  was  missed  or  stolen  from  a  trunk 
in  Otsego  County,  where  she  had  removed,  about  the 
time  the  "  Book  of  Mormon "  began  to  be  publicly 
mentioned. 

"  In  the  employment  of  the  printer  Patterson  was 
a  versatile  genius,  one  Sidney  Rigdon,  to  whom  no 
trade  came  amiss,  and  who  happened  at  the  time  to 
be  a  journeyman  printer  at  work  with  Patterson. 
Disputations  on  questions  of  theology  were  the  pecu- 
liar delight  of  Rigdon  ;  and  the  probable  solution  of 
the  mystery  of  this  Book  of  Mormon,  is  found  in  the 
fact,  that  he  had  made  a  copy  of  Spaulding's  manu- 
script, and  communicated  information  of  the  exist- 
ence of  the  fictitious  record  to  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.," 
after  becoming  acquainted  with  Smith's  money-digging 
operations.     Patterson  died  in  1826. 

From  all  the  evidence  possessed,  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  plan  of  founding  a  new  system  of  re- 
ligion was  concocted  by  these  two  shrewd  and  un- 
scrupulous persons,  and  that  the  Spaulding  fable  was 
its  basis.  "  The  fact  that  the  style  of  the  Mormon 
book  so  closely  imitates  that  of  the  received  version 
of  the  Bible — a  point  which  seems  to  have  been  con- 


124  MOEMONISM  ; 

stantly  kept  in  view  by  Mr..  Spaulding,  probably  in 
order  to  invest  the  fiction  with  a  stronger  character 
of  reality — answered  admirably  for  the  purposes  of 
Rigdon  and  Smith.  Sui^erstition  readily  embraces 
any  thing  which  has  a  show  of  reality,  especially  if  it 
be  sustained  by  a  sanction  apparently  divine ;  and  the 
success  of  this  remarkable  literary  imposture  is  not 
more  wonderful  than  the  devotion  of  the  Mohamme- 
dan to  the  Koran,  which,  like  the  Book  of  Mormon,  is 
accepted  as  the  standard  of  a  religious  faith.  The 
Millerite  fanaticism  was  less  marked,  but  found  not 
less  earnest  followers." 

These  statements  are  derived  from  the  declara- 
tions of  Mrs.  Spaulding  herself,  as  made  in  1831,  and 
subsequently.  In  that  year,  Dr.  Philastus  Hurlburt, 
living  near  New  Salem,  Ohio  (after  Mormonism  had 
become  seated  in  that  State),  who  had  obtained  a 
copy  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  came  by  appointment 
of  a  public  meeting  of  his  neighbors,  in  pursuit  of  in- 
formation on  the  subject,  to  Palmyra,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  stated  that  he  was  acquainted  with  several  reliable 
persons,  who  had  seen  the  Spaulding  manuscript,  and 
who  recognized  its  identity  in  the  main  with  the 
printed  book.  He  furthermore  obtained  the  same 
recognition  from  Mrs.  Spaulding,  and  from  Mr.  John 
Spaulding,  a  brother  of  the  deceased. 

No  doubt  the  Spaulding  manuscript  was  altered 
by  Rigdon  and  Smith  to  suit  the  case  in  hand  and 


ITS    ORIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PEOGKESS.  125 

meet  rising  exigencies.  Indeed,  it  is  apparent  from 
the  marked  changes  in  style  of  composition  occm'ring 
in  numbers  of  instances,  that  emendations  and  addi- 
tions were  made  by  some  other  than  the  original 
writer's  hand.  Then,  too,  the  verbose  title-page — 
the  "preface"  in  regard  to  the  translations  lost  by 
the  incendiarism  of  Mrs.  Harris — the  testimonies  of 
witnesses,  and  the  long  line  of  revelations  that  fol- 
lowed— which  are  not  presumed  to  have  been  com- 
posed by  the  illiterate  Smith,  but  by  Kigdon  during 
Smith's  lifetime  —  all  these  are  strong  corrobora- 
tive considerations  connected  with  the  proofs  that 
Rigdon  supplied  the  literary  aliment  needed  in  con- 
forming the  Spaulding  production  to  the  grand  co- 
partnership Mormon  speculation.  And  it  is  not 
known  that  he  has  ever  disclaimed  the  part  that  for 
more  than  thirty  years  has  been  publicly  assigned  to 
iiim  in  the  great  plagiarism  and  imposture. 

Rigdon  was  in  possession  of  a  copy  of  this  manu- 
script before  he  had  heard  of  Smith's  money-digging 
delusions,  and  the  application  ultimately  made  of  it, 
as  Smith's  accomj^lice,  was  incidental.  Is  it  not  a 
noteworthy  retribution  in  his  case,  that  his  Mormon 
history  should  come  to  a  sudden  close  soon  after  the 
murder  of  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother  Hyrum  in 
1844,  when  he  was  defeated  by  Brigham  Young  in  a 
contest  for  the  successorship  as  prophet,  and  quit 
Nauvoo  and  the  "saints,"  under  the  ban  of  expul- 


126 


MOEMONISM 


sion  ?  He  was  expelled  from  a  churcli  and  colony 
which  he  had  been  so  instrumental  in  bringing  into 
being,  and  went  to  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  where 
he  has  lived  to  the  j^vesent  time.  A  citizen  of  that 
county,  in  reply  to  inquiries,  writes  :  "  Eigdon  used 
to  lecture  on  various  scientific  subjects,  and  was  re- 
garded as  a  man  of  ability  and  a  good  public  speaker. 
He  has  been  solicited  to  publish  an  authentic  history 
of  the  Mormon  speculation,  but  is  said  to  decline  do- 
ing so  from  fear  of  Mormon  vengeance.  It  is  supposed 
he  might,  if  so  minded,  give  a  better  reason  for  his 
refusal.  He  is  now  seventy-five  years  of  age,  and  his 
habits  are  those  of  seclusion  and  reticence." 

In  the  pursuit  of  data  for  this  history,  the  favor  of 
information  was  sought  from  Mr.  Rigdon.  Prelimi- 
nary to  a  proposed  personal  interview,  a  note  was  ad- 
dressed to  him  by  mail,  at  "Friendship,  Allegany 
County,  N.  Y.,"  of  which  the  following  is  a  copy : 

[Prepaid  and  post-stamps  enclosed.] 

Palmyra,  N.  T.,  April  19,  ISG^. 
3fr.  SiDXEY  Rigdon,  Friendship,  Allegany  Coxtnty,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sie  :  I  am  emboldened  to  address  you,  with- 
out the  benefit  of  a  personal  acquaintance  that  you 
will  recognize,  from  having  received  a  personal  intro- 
duction to  you  here  in  1830.  I  heard  your  sermon  at 
the  hall  of  our  Palmyra  Young  Men's  Association  in 
that  year,  in  reference  to  the  then  new  Mormon  reve- 
lation according  to  Josepli  Smith,  Jr. 


ITS    ORIGIN",    EISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  127 

Are  you  willing  to  be  consulted  personally  regard- 
ing the  origin  of  the  Book  of  Mormon  ?  Or,  will  you 
favor  me  by  mail  with  any  information  such  as  may 
suggest  itself  to  you  as  useful  to  me  in  carrying  out 
a  design  in  hand  to  write  up  for  publication,  a  brief, 
connected,  and  truthful  history  of  Mormonism  and  its 
founders,  from  the  commencement  to  the  present  date 
of  that  system  ? 

I  was  acquainted  with  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  and  with 
his  father  and  the  family,  during  their  residence  in 
Palmyra  and  Manchester. 

I  shall  feel  obliged,  at  any  rate,  for  an  intimation 
of  your  views  and  disposition  in  this  matter,  at  your 
early  convenience,  and  would  be  happy  to  reciprocate 
your  kindness. 

Very  respectfully, 

POMEROY  TUCKER. 

"No  answer  has  been  received  from  Mr.  Kigdon. 

Brigham  Young,  now  the  autocrat-prophet  of  the 
Baints  at  Salt  Lake  City,  in  reply  to  the  admonition  of 
a  friend  at  the  time  he  joined  Smith  and  the  Mormons 
at  Kirtland,  said  :  "  The  doctrine  Smith  teaches  is  all 
I  know  about  the  matter ;  bring  any  thing  against 
that  if  you  can  ;  as  to  any  thing  else,  I  don't  care  if 
he  acts  like  a  devil ;  he  has  brought  forth  a  religion 
that  will  save  us,  if  we  abide  by  it ;  he  may  get  drunk 
every  day  of  his  life,  sleep  with  his  neighbor's  wife 


128  MOEMONISM  : 

every  niglit,  gamble,  and  run  horses,  and  be  guilty  of 
all  you  allege  against  him — I  don't  care  any  thing 
about  these  questions,  for  I  don't  embrace  the  man  in 
my  fliioh."     This  closed  the  argument. 

Peter  Ingersoll,  a  respectable  citizen  of  Palmyra, 
who  had  believingly  taken  some  part  in  Smith's  mon- 
ey-digging operations,  and  was  at  first  inclined  to  put 
faith  in  his  "  Golden  Bible  "  pretension,  declared  un- 
der oath,  that  "  Smith  told  him  the  whole  story  was 
a  hoax ;  that  he  had  found  no  such  book ;  but  that  as 
he  had  got  the  d — d  fools  fixed,  he  was  bound  to  carry 
out  the  fun." 

Testimony  of  the  same  tenor  on  this  head  might 
be  multiplied,  if  it  were  not  considered  superfluous. 


ITS     OKIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  129 


CHAPTER  X. 

Kirtland,  Ohio— Maturity  of  the  Mormon  Church— Theology  of  the 
Saints — Brigham  Young  converted — Martin  Harris  in  Council — 
A  Division  of  the  Mormons  remove  to  Missouri — Saints  under 
Proscription. 

At  Kirtland,  Ohio,  the  Mormons  had  a  successful 
though  brief  experience  in  the  outset  of  their  organi- 
zation which  had  been  imperfectly  effected  at  their 
starting-place  in  Manchester,  N.  Y.  The  nucleus  of 
their  Church  and  hierarchy  may  be  said  to  have  ad- 
vanced to  maturity  at  this  point  in  their  progress. 
Their  doctrines,  at  first  not  at  all  clearly  defined,  were 
yet  somewhat  vague  and  contradictory.  It  is  pre- 
sumed that  neither  Smith  nor  Higdon  had  at  this  time 
determined  what  should  be  their  precise  character. 
The  new  religion  needed  its  finishing  touch,  but  the 
"revelation"  capital  was  ample  for  this  object.  Aided 
as  they  were  by  Parley  P.  Pratt,  whose  remarkable 
instantaneous  conversion  had  occurred  at  Manchester, 
all  confusion  and  conflict  in  regard  to  the  fundamental 
creed  were  speedily  dispelled  before-  the  light  of  the 
Mormon  gospel. 
6* 


V 


130  MOEMONISM  : 

Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  tlie  first  "patriarch  and  presi- 
dent" of  the  Church,  soon  removed  with  his  family 
to  Kirtland,  and  fulfilled  the  dignity  of  his  office. 
Harris  early  made  a  purchase  of  property  there,  and 
took  his  place  in  the  Church  with  the  Smiths,  Rigdon, 
Pratt,  Cowdery,  the  Whitmers,  and  other  pioneers — 
makino;  occasional  return  visits  in  h^okinsr  after  his 
property  affairs  at  Pahnyra. 

The  next  interest  was  to  disseminate  to  the  people 
the  newly  revealed  "latter-day"  religion.  The  sys- 
tem of  missionary  labor  already  inaugurated  at  Men- 
tor, was  put  in  active  requisition ;  the  emissaries 
pressed  the  cause  with  zeal  and  artistic  effect ;  the 
trumpet  of  "the  true  gospel"  was  sounded  to  the 
gentiles  ;  the  superstitious  and  ignorant  were  cap- 
tivated ;  respectable  men  and  women  quaked  amid 
the  scene;  and  conversions  were  multiplied  and  bla- 
zoned abroad.  A  sensation  was  produced  unparalleled 
in  the  annals  of  that  community;  and  multitudes,  em- 
bracing the  Smith  and  Rigdon  theoly,  rushed  into  the 
new  Zion,  as  if  believing  the  last  days  were  at  hand 
in  sober  verity.     And  fanaticism  stood  aghast ! 

Thus  was  the  Mormon  Church  matured,  and  the 
colony  of  the  saints  speedily  enlarged.  Incomers  from 
a  distance,  professing  the  faith,  reenforced  their  num- 
bers, including  some  families  of  character,  influence, 
and  wealth.  The  prophet,  though  "uneducated  and 
unlearned    in   worldly  wisdom   (quoting  the  phrase 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  131 

used),  was  acknowledged  to  possess  by  the  spirit  of 
revelation  great  heavenly  gifts,  such  as  "  speaking  in 
unknown  tongues,  performing  miracles,  and  healing 
the  sick." 

ISTo  doubt  Rigdon  from  the  start  had  more  to  do 
with  this  strange  adventure  than  Smith ;  for  without 
the  fictitious  "records"  derived  through  his  instru- 
mentality from  the  Spaulding  fable,  the  Mormon  de-  ^/ 
vice,  in  all  probability,  would  never  have  been  in- 
vented. But  as  the  result  of  circumstances.  Smith 
was  necessarily  the  nominal  chief;  and,  considering 
his  lack  of  cultivation,  he  must  have  been  naturally 
the  superior  genius  of  the  two.  He  had  been  put 
forward  as  the  prophet,  seer,  and  revelator,  and  his 
native  sagacity  was  equal  to  his  opportunity.  He 
availed  himself  of  his  advantage  in  maintaining  his 
preeminence  as  the  grand  oracle  and  generalissimo  ; 
and  he  continued  to  exercise  this  superiority  until  the 
day  of  his  death. 

Finding  himself  surrounded  and  sustained  by  large 
and  increasing  numbers  of  believing  followers,  inclu- 
ding some  people  of  ample  pecuniary  means,  Smith 
tried  a  bold  venture  upon  their  credulity  in  his  own 
behalf.  This  was  a  "revelation"  which  he  commu- 
nicated to  his  disciples,  to  the  effect  that  they  should 
"  immediately  build  a  house  for  the  prophet,  in  which 
he  might  live  and  translate."  It  was  in  February, 
1831,  and  the  command  was  cheerfully  accepted  and 


132  MOEMONISM  : 

obeyed.  Another  revelation,  alike  successful,  shortly 
followed,  commanding  that  "  my  chosen  Joseph  shall 
not  labor  for  a  living," 

Though  the  impostor  "  seemed  to  intelligent  men 
little  better  than  a  buffoon,  his  followers  regarded 
him  as  almost  deserving  of  adoration,"  and  he  was 
enabled  by  their  tribute  to  revel  in  whatever  luxury 
or  profligacy  was  most  agreeable  to  his  vulgar  taste 
and  ambition.  His  power  was  now  next  to  omnip- 
otent in  Mormondom. 

Brigham  Young  was  converted  and  joined  the 
Mormons  at  Kirtland  in  1832.  Like  Joseph  Smith, 
Jr.,  he  was  a  native  of  Vermont,  being  his  senior  by 
four  years.  It  is  a  further  noteworthy  coincidence, 
that  all  his  father's  family,  consisting  of  five  sons  with 
himself,  and  six  daughters,  became  Mormons  —  the 
father,  John  Young,  afterward  becoming  j)resident 
and  patriarch  of  the  Church.  Furthermore,  Brig- 
ham's  peculiarities  of  character  were  similar  to  Jo- 
seph's. He  was  shrewd,  bold,  and  resolute,  possess- 
ing an  almost  intuitive  knowledge  of  men.  He  soon 
attracted  attention,  and  became  influential  with  his 
brethren.  They  were  involuntarily  swayed  by  his 
strong,  electrical  will ;  and  he  was  recognized  as  a 
man  born  to  rule  and  lead  the  masses.  He  was  soon 
ordained  one  of  the  quorum  of  Twelve  Apostles  that 
had  been  organized;,  and  in  1836,  the  president  of 
that  body  having  apostatized,  he  was  elected  to  sue- 


BRIGHAM   YOUNG. 


133 


ceed  him.  He  went  forth  and  preached  and  prose- 
lyted with  marked  success.  From  that  day  to  this 
his  influence  and  power  within  the  jurisdiction  of 
Mormondom  has  been  resistless. 

Brigham  Young  was  early  trained  to  farming, 
which  was  his  father's  occupation,  but  had  learned 
the  trade  of  painter  and  glazier,  which  he  followed  in 
the  State  of  New  York,  until  his  Mormon  conversion 
at  Kirtland.  Here  the  coincidence  between  him  and 
Smith  is  broken,  for  the  latter  never  learned  a  trade, 
nor  harbored  a  disposition  to  "  labor  for  a  living." 

Up  to  1834,  the  Mormon  creed  and  system  of 
church  government  were  altogether  subject  to  the  ca- 
prices of  "  revelation."  Smith,  sustained  by  Rigdon, 
Pratt,  and  Young,  was  the  supreme  ruler  in  fact  over 
both  the  spiritual  and  temporal  affairs  of  his  disciples. 
It  became  necessary,  to  avoid  possible  discontents  and 
jealousies,  to  have  an  outward  form  of  organization. 
In  carrying  out  this  purpose  a  high  council  was  formed 
as  folio vrs : 

"  This  day  a  general  council  of  twenty-four  high 
priests  assembled  at  the  house  of  Joseph  Smith,  Jr., 
by  revelation,  and  proceeded  to  organize  the  high 
council  of  the  Church  of  Christ,  which  was  to  consist 
of  twelve  high-priests,  and  one  or  three  presidents,  as 
the  case  might  require.  The  high  council  was  ap- 
pointed by  revelation  for  the  purpose  of  settling  im- 
portant difficulties  which  might  arise  in  the  Church, 


134  MORMONISM  : 

which  could  not  be  settled  by  the  Church  or  the 
bishop's  council  to  the  satisfaction  of  the  parties. — 
"  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  Sidney  Rigdon,  and  Frederick 
G.  Williams,  were  acknowledged  jDresidents  by  the 
voice  of  the  council ;  and  Joseph  Smith,  Sr.,  John 
Smith,  Joseph  Coe,  John  Johnson,  Martin  Harris, 
John  S.  Carter,  Jared  Carter,  Oliver  Cowdery,  Sam- 
uel H.  Smith,  Orson  Hyde,  Sylvester  Smith,  and  Luke 
Johnson,  high-priests,  were  chosen  to  be  a  standing 
council  for  the  Church,  by  the  unanimous  voice  of  the 
council." 

Each  quorum  has  its  president ;  and  the  president 
of  the  quorum  of  three  is  the  president  of  the  high 
council,  and  over  all  the  Church,  from  whom  "  comes 
the  administration  of  ordinances  and  blessings  upon 
the  Church,  by  the  laying  on  of  hands."  Joseph 
Smith,  Jr.,  was  the  first  president.  The  president  is 
"  the  seer,  revelator,  and  prophet,  having  all  the  gifts 
of  God,  which  he  bestows  upon  the  head  of  the 
Church."  As  president  of  the  high  council,  he  may, 
"in  cases  of  difficulty  respecting  doctrine  or  prin- 
ciple, inquire  and  obtain  the  mind  of  the  Lord  by 
revelation." 

The  prophet  had  previously  provided  for  his  su- 
premacy in  tha  revelation  : 

'•'  Behold,  there  shall  be  a  record  kept  among  you, 
and  in  it  thou  shalt  be  called  a  seer,  a  translator,  a 
prophet,  an  apostle  of  Jesus  Christ,  an  elder  of  the 


.      ITS    OEIGIN,    KISE,    Als^D   PKOGEESS.  135 

Cbnrcb,  throno-h  the  will  of  God  the  Father,  and  the 
grace  of  onr  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  being  inspired  of  the 
Holy  Ghost  to  lay  the  foundation  thereof,  and  to 
build  it  up  unto  the  most  holy  faith." 

And  the  following  important  celestial  enunciation 
was  added : 

"  But  behold,  verily, .  verily,  I  say  unto  thee,  no 
one  shall  be  aj^pointed  to  receive  commandments  and 
revelations  in  this  Church  excepting  my  servant  Jo- 
seph Smith,  Jr.,  for  he  receiveth  them  even  as  Moses  ; 
and  thou  shalt  be  obedient  unto  the  things  which  I 
shall  give  unto  him,  even  as  Aaron,  to  declare  faith- 
fully the  commandments  and  revelations  with  pov/er 
and  authority  unto  the  Churcb.  And  if  thou  art  led 
at  any  time  by  tbe  Comibrter  to  speak  or  teach,  or 
at  all  times  by  the  Avay  of  commandment  unto  the 
Church,  thou  mayest  do  it ;  but  thou  shalt  not  write 
by  way  of  commandment,  but  by  wisdom.  And  thou 
shalt  not  command  him  who  is  at  thy  head,  and  at  the 
head  of  the  Church ;  for  I  have  given  him  the  keys 
of  the  mysteries  and  the  revelations  which  are  sealed, 
until  I  shall  appoint  unto  them  another  in  his  stead." 

By  these  exalted  authorities,  the  prophet  becomes 
the  president  of  the  Church,  and  preserves  his  absolute 
power  over  Morinondom.  This  absolutism  was  exer- 
cised in  continuing  to  put  forth  revelations,  "perform- 
ing miracles,  preaching  in  unknown  tongues,  healing 
the  sick,"  and  sending  off  missionaries ;  and  at  the 


136  MOEMONISM  : 

same  time  securing  to  himself  nearly  all  the  wealth 
of  his  followers,  under  a  system  of  tithing  and  other 
forms  of  ecclesiastical  appropriation. 

Tithing,  in  the  Mormon  hierarchy,  is  a  regular  sys- 
tem of  the  appropriation  of  individual  property  for  the 
support  and  aggrandizement  of  the  prophet  and  his 
priesthood.  By  an  early  revelation  Smith  discovered 
that  those  having  property  should  convey  it  to  the 
bishop  and  his  counsellors  for  the  support  of  the  poor, 
for  the  purchase  of  lands  for  the  public  benefit  of  the 
Church,  and  the  bnilding  of  houses  of  worship,  etc.  In 
August  it  was  revealed  to  Smith  that  "  all  the  moneys 
which  can  be  spared,  it  mattereth  not  whether  it  be 
little  or  much,  be  sent  up  unto  the  land  of  Zion,  unto 
them  whom  I  have  appointed  to  receive." 

Subsequently,  to  meet  the  rising  emergencies,  the 
prophet  gave  out  this  very  definite  revelation : 

*'  In  answer  to  the  question,  O  Lord,  show  unto 
thy  servants  how  much  thou  requirest  of  the  proper- 
ties for  a  tithing  ?  Yerily,  thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  re- 
quire all  their  surplus  property  to  be  put  into  the 
hands  of  the  bishop  of  my  Church  of  Zion,  for  the 
building  of  mine  house,  and  for  the  laying  the  foun- 
dation of  Zion,  and  for  the  priesthood,  and  for  the 
debts  of  the  presidency  of  my  Church ;  and  this  shall 
be  the  beginning  of  the  yearly  tithing  of  my  people  ; 
and  after  that,  those  who  have  been  thus  tithed  shall 
pay  one-tenth  of  all  their  iiiterest  annually,  and  this 


ITS    OKIGm,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  137 

shall  be  a  standing  law  unto  them  forever,  for  my 
holy  priesthood,  saith  the  Lord.  Verily,  I  say  unto 
you,  it  shall  come  to  pass  that  all  those  who  gather 
unto  the  land  of  Zion  shall  be  tithed  of  their  surplus 
properties,  and  shall  observe  this  law,  or  they  shall 
not  be  found  worthy  to  abide  among  you." 

The  machinery  of  church  government  is  diversified 
in  its  functions,  and  is  not  altogether  apparent  to  the 
profane.  The  great,  studied  design,  has  been  to  secure 
despotic  power  in  the  few  chief  impostors,  and  thus 
perpetuate  the  Mormon  hierarchy. 

There  are  two  priesthoods  in  the  Church — the  Mel- 
chisedek  and  the  Aaronic  (which  latter  includes  the 
Levitical).  All  other  authorities  are  appendages  to 
one  or  the  other  of  these  priesthoods.  Each  priest- 
hood holds  the  key  of  the  peculiar  mysteries  which 
it  has  in  charge.  The  hey  is  an  important  emblem  in 
Mormon  symbolics.  All  heavenly  mysteries  are  duly 
locked  up,  and  cannot  be  opened  except  by  the  agent 
who  is  authorized  to  hold  and  use  the  key.  The  Mel- 
chisedek  is  the  superior  priesthood,  and  consists  of 
high-priests  and  elders ;  the  Aaronic  is  inferior,  and 
made  up  of  bishops,  j)i'iests,  teachers,  and  deacons. 
The  Melchisedek  priesthood  is  clustered  about  with 
holy  sanctions  and  sublime  mysteries,  which  strike 
awe  into  the  minds  of  the  simple-minded  believers. 
For  instance : 

"  And  the  sons  of  Moses,  according  to  the  holy 


138  MOEMONISM  : 

priesthood  which  he  received  under  the  hand  of  his 
lathcr-in-law  Jethro,  and  Jethro  received  it  under  the 
hand  of  Caleb,  and  Caleb  received  it  nnder  the  hand 
of  Elihn,  and  Elihu  nnder  the  hand  of  Jeremy,  and 
Jeremy  under  the  hand  of  God,  and  God  imder  the 
hand  of  Esaias,  and  Esaias  received  it  under  the  hand 
of  God  ;  Esaias  also  lived  in  the  days  of  Abraham, 
and  was  blessed  of  him;  which  Abraham  received  the 
priesthood  from  Melchisedek,  who  received  it  through 
the  lineage  of  his  fathers,  even  till  ISToah  ;  and  from 
Noah  till  Enoch,  through  the  lineage  of  their  fathers  ; 
and  from  Enoch  to  Abel,  who  was  slain  by  tlie  con- 
spiracy of  his  brother,  who  received  the  priesthood  by 
the  commandments  of  God,  by  the  hand  of  his  father 
Adam,  who  was  the  first  man  ;  which  priesthood  con- 
tinueth  in  the  Church  of  God  in  all  generations,  and 
is  without  beginning  of  days  or  end  of  years." 

The  power  and  authority  of  the  Melchisedek  priest- 
hood is  to  hold  the  keys  of  all  the  spiritual  blessings 
of  the  Church,  to  have  the  privilege  of  receiving  the 
mysteries  of  the  kingdom  of  heaven,  to  have  the 
heavens  opened  unto  them,  and  to  enjoy  the  com- 
munion and  presence  of  God  the  Father,  and  Jesus 
Christ  the  Mediator  of  the  new  covenant. 

The  power  and  authority  of  the  lesser,  or  Aaronic 
priesthood,  is  to  hold  the  keys  of  the  ministering  of 
angels,  and  to  administer  in  outward  ordinances — the 
letter  of  the  gospel — the  baptism  of  repentance  for 


139 

the  remission  of  sins,  agreeably  to  the  covenants  and 
commandments.* 

The  following  sketch  of  the  "  Faith  and  Doctrine 
of  the  Mormon  Church  "  has  heen  publicly  put  forth 
as  the  accepted  theology  of  Mormonism  : 

"  First,  we  believe  in  God  the  Eternal  Father,  and 
in  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  Avho 
bears  record  of  them,  the  same  throughout  all  ages 
and  forever. 

*'  We  believe  that  all  mankind,  by  the  transgression 
of  their  first  parents,  and  not  by  their  OAvn  sins,  were 
brought  under  the  curse  and  penalty  of  that  trans- 
gression which  consigned  them  to  an  eternal  banish- 
ment from  the  presence  of  God,  and  their  bodies  to  an 
endless  sleep  in  the  dust,  never  more  to  rise,  and  their 
spirits  to  endless  misery  under  the  power  of  Satan  ; 
and  that,  in  this  awful  condition,  they  were  utterly 
lost,  and  fallen,  and  had  no  power  of  their  own  to  ex- 
tricate themselves  therefrom. 

"  We  believe  that  through  the  sufferings,  death, 
and  atonement  of  Jesus  Christ,  all  mankind,  without 
one  exception,  are  to  be  completely  and  fully  re- 
deemed, both  body  and  spirit,  from  the  endless  ban- 
ishment and  curse  to  which  they  were  consigned  by 
Adam's  transgression,  and  that  this  universal  salva- 
tion and  redemption  of  the  whole  human  family  from 
the  endless  penalty  of  the   original   sin,  is   effected 

*  Ferris' s  "  Utah  and  the  Mormons." 


140  MOEMONisM : 

without  any  conditions  whatsoever  on  their  part ;  that 
is,  that  they  are  not  required  to  believe,  or  repent,  or 
be  baptized,  or  do  any  thing  else,  in  order  to  be  re- 
deemed from  that  penalty  ;  for  whether  they  believe 
or  disbelieve,  whether  they  repent  or  remain  impeni- 
tent, whether  they  are  baptized  or  unbaptized,  whether 
they  keep  the  commandments  or  break  them,  whether 
they  are  righteous  or  unrighteous,  it  will  make  no  dif- 
ference in  relation  to  their  redemj^tion,  both  spirit  and 
body,  from  the  penalty  of  Adam's  transgression.  The 
most  righteous  man  that  ever  lived  on  the  earth,  and 
the  most  wicked  wretch  of  the  whole  human  family, 
were  both  placed  under  the  same  curse,  without  any 
transgression  or  agency  of  their  own,  and  they  both 
alike  will  be  redeemed  from  that  curse  without  any 
agency  or  conditions  on  their  part.  Paul  says,  Rom. 
V.  18  :  '  Therefore,  as  by  the  offence  of  one,  judgment 
came  upon  all  men  to  condemnation  ;  even  so,  by  the 
righteousness  of  one,  the  free  gift  came  upon  all  men 
unto  the  justification  of  life.'  This  is  the  reason  why 
all  men  are  redeemed  from  the  grave.  This  is  the 
reason  that  the  spirits  of  all  men  are  restored  to  their 
bodies.  This  is  the  reason  that  all  men  are  redeemed 
from  their  first  banishment  and  restored  into  the  pres- 
ence of  God  ;  and  this  is  the  reason  that  the  Saviour 
said,  John  xii.  32,  '  If  I  be  lifted  up  from  the  earth,  I 
will  draw  all  men  unto  me.'  After  this  full,  complete, 
and  universal  redemption,  restoration,  and  salvation 


141 


of  the  whole  of  Adam's  race,  through  the  atonement 
of  Jesus  Christ,  without  faith,  repentance,  baptism,  or 
any  other  works,  then  all  and  every  one  of  them  will 
enjoy  eternal  life  and  happiness,  never  more  to  be 
banished  from  the  presence  of  God  if  they  themselves 
have  committed  no  sin  :  for  the  penalty  of  the  original 
sin  can  have  no  more  power  over  them  at  all,  for  Jesus 
hath  destroyed  its  power,  broken  the  bands  of  the  first 
death,  obtained  the  victory  over  the  grave,  delivered 
all  its  captives,  and  restored  them  from  their  first 
banishment  into  the  presence  of  his  Father ;  hence 
eternal  life  will  be  theirs,  if  they  themselves  are  not 
found  transgressors  of  some  law. 

"  We  believe  that  all  mankind,  in  their  infant  state, 
are  incapable  of  knowing  good  and  evil,  and  of  obey- 
ing or  disobeying  a  law  ;  and  that  therefore  there  is 
no  law  given  to  them,  and  that  where  there  is  no  law 
there  is  no  transgression ;  hence  they  are  innocent, 
and  if  they  should  all  die  in  their  infant  state,  they 
would  enjoy  eternal  life,  not  being  transgressors  them- 
selves, neither  accountable  for  Adam's  sin. 

"  We  believe  that  all  mankind,  in  consequence  of 
the  fall,  after  they  grow  up  from  their  infant  state, 
and  come  to  the  years  of  understanding,  know  good 
and  evil,  and  are  capable  of  obeying  and  disobeying  a 
law,  and  that  a  law  is  given  against  doing  evil ;  and 
that  the  penalty  affixed  is  a  second  banishment  from 
the  presence  of  God,  both  body  and  spirit,  after  they 


142  MOEMONISM : 

have  been  redeemed  from  the  first  banisliment  and 
restored  into  his  presence. 

"  We  believe  that  the  penalty  of  this  second  law 
can  have  no  effect  upon  persons  who  have  not  had  the 
privilege,  in  this  life,  of  becoming  acquainted  there- 
with ;  for  although  the  light  that  is  in  them  teaches 
them  good  and  evil,  yet  that  light  does  not  teach 
them  the  law  against  doing  evil,  nor  the  penalty 
thereof 

"  We  believe  that  all  who  have  done  evil,  having 
a  knowledge  of  the  law,  or  afterward,  in  this  life, 
coming  to  the  knowledge  thereof,  are  under  its  pen- 
alty, which  is  not  inflicted  in  this  world,  but  in  the 
world  to  come.  Therefore  such,  in  this  world,  are 
prisoners,  shut  up  under  the  sentence  of  the  law, 
awaiting,  with  awful  feai',  for  the  time  of  judgment, 
when  the  penalty  shall  be  inflicted,  consigning  them 
to  a"  second  banishment  from  the  presence  of  their 
Redeemer,  who  had  redeemed  them  from  the  penalty 
of  the  first  law.  Be  assured,  O  sinner,  that  thou 
canst  not  devise  any  way  of  thine  own  to  escape,  nor 
do  any  thing  that  will  atone  for  thy  sins.  Therefore 
thy  case  is  hopeless,  unless  God  has  devised  some 
way  for  thy  deliverance ;  but  do  not  let  despair  seize 
upon  thee ;  for  though  thou  art  under  the  sentence  of 
a  broken  law,  and  hast  no  power  to  atone  for  thy 
sins,  and  redeem  thyself  therefrom,  yet  there  is  hoj^e 
in  thy  case,  for  He  w^ho  gave  the  law  has  devised  a 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  143 

way  for  thy  deliverance.  That  same  Jesus,  who  hath 
atoned  for  the  original  sin,  and  will  redeem  all  man- 
kind from  the  penalty  thereof,  hath  also  atoned  for 
thy  sins,  and  offereth  salvation  and  deliverance  to 
thee,  on  certain  conditions  to  be  complied  with  on 
thy  part. 

"We  believe  that  the  first  condition  to  be  com- 
j)lied  with  on  the  part  of  sinners  is,  to  believe  in  God, 
and  in  the  sufieriugs  and  death  of  his  Son  Jesus 
Christ  to  atone  for  the  sins  of  the  whole  world,  and 
in  his  resurrection  and  ascension  on  high,  to  appear 
in  the  presence  of  his  Father,  to  make  intercession 
for  the  children  of  men,  and  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  which 
is  given  to  all  who  obey  the  gospel. 

"  That  the  second  condition  is,  to  repent :  that  is, 
all  who  believe,  according  to  the  first  condition,  are 
required  to  come  humbly  before  God,  and  confess 
their  sins  with  a  broken  heart  and  contrite  spirit,  and 
turn  away  from  them,  and  cease  from  all  their  evil 
deeds,  and  make  restitution  to  all  whom  they  have  in 
any  way  injured,  as  far  as  it  is  in  their  power. 

"  That  the  third  condition  is,  to  be  baptized  by 
immersion  in  water  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  for  remission  of  sins :  and  that  this 
ordinance  is  to  be  administered  by  one  who  is  called 
and  authorized  of  Jesus  Clirist  to  baptize,  otherwise 
it  is  illegal,  and  of  no  advantage,  and  not  accepted  by 
him ;  and  that  it  is  to  be  administered  only  to  those 


144:  MOEMONiSM : 

persons  who  believe  and  repent,  according  to  the  two 
preceding  conditions. 

"  And  that  the  fourth  condition  is,  to  receive  the 
laying  on  of  hands,  in  the  name  of  Jesus  Christ,  for 
the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost:  and  that  this  ordinance  is 
to  be  administered  by  the  apostles  or  elders,  whom 
the  Lord  Jesus  hath  called  and  authorized  to  lay  on 
hands,  otherwise  it  is  of  no  advantage,  being  illegal 
in  the  sight  of  God ;  and  that  it  is  to  be  administered 
only  to  those  persons  who  believe,  repent,  and  are 
baptized  into  this  Church,  according  to  the  three  pre- 
ceding conditions.  These  are  the  first  conditions  of 
the  gospel.  All  who  comply  with  them  receive  for- 
giveness of  sins,  and  are  made  partakers  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Through  these  conditions,  they  become  the 
adopted  sons  and  daughters  of  God.  Through  this 
process  they  are  born  again,  first  of  water,  and  then 
of  the  Spirit,  and  become  children  of  the  kingdom — 
heirs  of  God — saints  of  the  Most  High — the  church 
of  the  first-born — the  elect  people,  and  heirs  to  a 
celestial  inheritance,  eternal  in  the  presence  of  God. 

"  It  is  the  duty  and  privilege  of  the  saints  thus 
organized  upon  the  everlasting  gospel,  to  believe  in 
and  enjoy  all  the  gifts,  powers,  and  blessings  which 
flow  from  the  Holy  Spirit — such,  for  instance,  as  the 
gifts  of  revelation,  prophecy,  visions,  the  ministry  of 
angels,  healing  the  sick  by  the  laying  on  of  hands  in 
the  name  of  Jesus,  the  working  of  miracles,  and,  in 


ITS  oEiGiN,  eise;  and  peogress.  145 

sliort,  all  tbe  gifts  as  mentioned  in  Scripture,  or  as 
enjoyed  by  the  ancient  saints.  We  believe  that  in- 
spired apostles  and  prophets,  together  with  all  the 
officers  as  mentioned  in  the  New  Testament,  are  ne- 
cessary to  be  in  the  Church  in  these  days." 

The  Mormons  profess  to  found  their  faith  and 
doctrine,  and  their  system  of  theocracy,  upon  the 
common  Bible  and  Book  of  Mormon.  Very  profound 
reverence  is  paid  by  the  disciples  to  the  following 
portion  of  the  latter  authority,  giving  an  account  of 
Christ's  descent  from  heaven  among  the  ancient 
JN'epliites  in  the  wilderness — (from  first  edition.  Book 
of  Mormon,  p.  476)  : 

"  And  now  it  came  to  j^ass  that  there  were  a  great 
multitude  gathered  together,  of  the  people  of  Nephi, 
round  about  the  temple  which  was  in  the  land  Boun- 
tiful, and  they  were  marvelling  and  wondering  one 
with  another,  and  were  showing  one  to  another  the 
great  and  marvellous  change  which  had  taken  place ; 
and  they  were  also  conversing  about  this  Jesus 
Christ,  of  which  the  sign  had  been  given,  concerning 
his  death. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  while  they  were  thus 
conversing  one  with  another,  they  heard  a  voice,  as 
if  it  came  out  of  heaven  ;  and  they  cast  their  eyes 
round  about,  for  they  understood  not  the  voice  which 
they  heard ;  and  it  was  not  a  harsh  voice,  neither  was 
it  a  loud  voice  ;  nevertheless,  and  notwithstanding  it 


146  MOEMONISM  : 

being  a  small  voice,  it  did  pierce  them  that  did  hear, 
to  the  centre,  insomuch  that  there  Avas  no  part  of 
their  frame  that  it  did  not  cause  to  quake ;  yea,  it  did 
pierce  tliem  to  the  very  soul,  and  did  cause  their 
hearts  to  burn.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  again  they 
heard  the  voice,  and  they  understood  it  not ;  and 
again  the  third  time  they  did  hear  the  voice,  and  did 
open  their  ears  to  hear  it ;  and  their  eyes  were  tow- 
ard the  sound  thereof;  and  they  did  look  stead- 
fastly toward  heaven,  from  whence  the  sound  came ; 
and  behold,  the  third  time  they  did  understand  the 
voice  which  they  heard ;  and  it  saith  unto  them,  Be- 
hold, my  beloved  Son,  in  whom  I  am  well  pleased,  in 
whom  I  have  glorified  my  name :   hear  ye  him. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  as  they  understood,  they 
cast  their  eyes  up  again  toward  heaven,  and  behold, 
they  saw  a  man  descending  out  of  heaven ;  and  he 
was  clothed  in  a  white  robe,  and  he  came  down  and 
stood  in  the  midst  of  them,  and  the  eyes  of  the  whole 
multitude  were  turned  upon  him,  and  they  durst  not 
open  their  mouths,  even  one  to  another,  and  wist  not 
what  it  meant ;  for  they  thought  it  was  an  angel  that 
had  appeared  unto  them. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass,  that  he  stretched  forth  his 
hand,  and  spake  unto  the  people,  saying:  Behold,  I 
am  Jesus  Christ,  of  which  the  prophets  testified,  that 
should  come  into  the  world;  and  behold,  I  am  the 
light  and  the  life  of  the  world,  and  I  have  drank  out 


ITS    OKIGESr,    RISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  147 

of  that  bitter  cup  which  the  Father  hath  given  me, 
and  have  glorified  the  Father  in  taking  upon  me 
the  sins  of  the  world,  in  the  which  I  have  suifered 
the  will  of  the  Father  in  all  things,  from  the  be- 
ginning. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  Jesus  had  spake 
these  words,  the  whole  multitude  fell  to  the  earth,  for 
they  remembered  that  it  had  been  prophesied  among 
them  that  Christ  should  show  himself  unto  them  after 
his  ascension  into  heaven. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  Lord  spake  unto 
them,  sayiug  :  Arise  and  come  forth  unto  me,  that  ye 
may  thrust  your  hands  into  my  side,  and  also  that  ye 
may  feel  the  prints  of  the  nails  in  my  hands,  and  in 
my  feet,  that  ye  may  know  that  I  am  the  God  of 
Israel,  and  the  God  of  the  whole  earth,  and  have  been 
slain  for  the  sins  of  the  world. 

"And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  multitude  went 
forth,  and  thrust  their  hands  into  his  side,  and  did 
feel  the  prints  of  the  nails  in  his  hands  and  in  his 
feet;  and  this  they  did  do,  going  forth  one  by  one, 
until  they  had  all  gone  forth,  and  did  see  with  their 
eyes,  and  did  feel  wdth  their  hands,  and  did  know  of  a 
surety,  and  did  bear  record,  that  it  was  he  of  whom  it 
was  written  by  the  prophets  that  should  come. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  they  had  all  gone 
forth,  and  had  witnessed  for  themselves,  they  did  cry 
out  with  one  accord,  saying,  Hosanna !     Blessed  be 


148  MOKMONISM  : 

the  name  of  tlie  Most  Higli  God  !  And  they  did  fall 
down  at  the  feet  of  Jesus,  and  did  worship  him. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  he  spake  unto  Nephi, 
(for  Neplii  was  among  the  multitude,)  and  he  com- 
manded him  that  he  should  come  forth.  And  Nephi 
arose  and  went  forth  and  bowed  himself  before  the 
Lord,  and  he  did  kiss  his  feet.  And  the  Lord  com- 
manded him  that  he  should  arise.  And  he  arose  and 
stood  before  him.  And  the  Lord  said  unto  him,  I 
give  unto  you  power  that  ye  shall  baptize  this  peo- 
ple, when  I  am  again  ascended  into  heaven. 

"  And  again  the  Lord  called  others,  and  said  unto 
them  likewise  ;  and  he  gave  unto  them  power  to  bap- 
tize. And  he  saith  unto  them.  On  this  wise  shall  ye 
baptize ;  and  there  shall  be  no  disputations  among 
you.  Verily  I  say  imto  you,  that  whoso  repenteth  of 
his  sins  through  your  words,  and  desireth  to  be  bap- 
tized in  my  name,  on  this  wise  shall  ye  baptize  them : 
Behold,  ye  shall  go  down  and  stand  in  the  water,  and 
in  my  name  shall  ye  baptize  them.  And  now  behold, 
these  are  the  words  which  ye  shall  say,  calling  them 
by  name,  saying :  Having  authority  given  me  of  Jesus 
Christ,  I  baptize  you  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and 
of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  Amen.  And 
then  shall  ye  immerse  them  in  the  Avater,  and  come 
forth  again  out  of  the  water.  And  after  this  manner 
shall  ye  baptize  in  my  name,  for  behold,  verily  I  say 
unto  you,  that  the  Father,  and  the  Son,  and  the  Holy 


ITS    OEiam,    EISE,    AND   PEOGIiESS.  149 

Gliost,  are  cne ;  and  I  am  in  the  Father,  and  the 
Father  in  me,  and  the  Father  and  I  are  one.  And 
according  as  I  have  commanded  you,  thus  shall  ye 
baptize.  And  there  shall  be  no  disputations  among 
you,  as  there  hath  hitherto  been ;  neither  shall  there 
be  disputations  among  you  concerning  the  points  of 
my  doctrine,  as  there  hath  hitherto  been ;  for  verily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  yon,  he  that  hath  the  spirit  of  con- 
tention is  not  of  me,  but  is  of  the  devil,  which  is  the 
lather  of  contention,  and  he  stirreth  up  the  hearts  of 
men  to  contend  with  anger,  one  with  another.  .... 
I  bear  record  of  the  Father,  and  the  Father  beareth 
record  of  me,  and  tlie  Holy  Ghost  beareth  record  of 
the  Father  and  me,  and  I  bear  record  that  the  Fatlier 
commandeth  all  men,  everywhere,  to  repent  and  be- 
lieve in  me ;  and  whoso  believeth  in  me,  and  is  bap- 
tized, the  same  shall  be  saved ;  and  they  are  they 
which  shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God.  And  whoso 
believeth  not  in  me,  and  is  not  baptized,  shall  be 
damned Therefore,  go  forth  mnto  this  peo- 
ple, and  declare  the  v/ords  which  I  have  spoken  unto 
the  ends  of  the  earth: 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  Jesus  had  spoken 
these  words  unto  Xephi,  and  to  those  which  had  been 
called,  (now  the  number  of  them  which  had  been  called 
and  received  power  and  authority  to  baptize  were 
twelve,)  and  behold  he  stretched  forth  his  hand  unto 
the  multitude,  and  cried  unto  them,  saying :  Blessed 


150  MORMONISM  : 

are  ye  if  ye  shall  give  heed  unto  the  words  of  these 
twelve  which  I  liave  chosen  from  among  you  to  min- 
ister unto  you,  and  to  he  your  servants ;  and  unto 
theiQ  I  have  given  power,  that  they  may  bajDtize  you 
with  water ;  and  after  that  ye  are  baptized  with  wa- 
ter, behold  I  will  baptize  you  with  fire  anel  with  the 
Holy  Ghost ;  therefore,  blessed  are  ye  if  ye  shall  be- 
lieve in  me  and  be  baptized,  after  that  ye  have  seen 
me,  and  know  that  I  am." 

[Here  follows  in  continuation  nearly  the  whole  of 
Christ's  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  as  plagiarized  fi-om 
Matthew,  with  some  immaterial  alterations,  omitting 
the  verse  divisions  and  numbers.] 

A  Mormon  temple  was  erected  at  Kirtland,  at  a 
cost  of  about  iifty  thousand  dollars,  by  contributions 
in  money  and  labor  obtained  from  the  saints  through 
the  resistless  power  of  Smith's  revelation  process. 

Mormonism,  however,  became  distasteful  to  the 
unconverted  people  of  Ohio,  and  especially  obnoxious 
to  the  outsido  inhabitants  residing  at  and  near  Kirt- 
land. These  outsiders  were  familiar,  by  information, 
with  the  source  and  history  of  the  "Golden  Bible" 
scheme,  and  scorned  flie  impostor  as  beyond  the  pub- 
lic tolerance.  The  saints  became  involved  in  accu- 
sations of  immoral  and  criminal  practices — to  which, 
with  the  feeling  mentioned,  and  the  general  excep- 
tionable demeanor  of  the  leaders,  may  be  traced  the 
pojDular  opprobrium  rising  against  the  sect.     More- 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AICTD   PEOGRESS.  151 

over,  the  "  promised  land "  had  heen  looked  for  in  a 
more  western  region,  and  probably  Kirtland  had  never 
been  fixed  upon  as  a  permjinent  locality  for  the  saints. 
The  two  facts  combined  to  determine  the  Mormoif  au- 
thorities npon  a  voluntary  change  of  headquarters. 

Rigdon  and  Cowdery  had  been  sent  forward  as 
missionaries  and  ex^^lorers  to  find  a  place  for  tlie 
future  Zion,  and  on  .their  return  reported  in  favor 
of  Jackson  County,  Missouri.  Smith  and  Rigdon  re- 
paired there  to  further  view  the  situation,  and  they 
concurred  in  the  selection,  and  fixed  upon  the  spot 
now  called  Independence,  in  that  county.  Tlie  occa- 
sion called  forth  the  following  revelation  in  August 
of  the  same  year  : 

"  Hearken,  O  ye  elders  of  my  Church,  saith  the 
Lord  your  God,  who  have  assembled  yourselves  to- 
gether, according  to  ray  commandments,  in  this  land 
which  is  the  land  of  Missouri,  which  is  the  land  which 
I  have  appointed  and  consecrated  for  the  gathering  of 
the  saints.  Wherefore,  this  is  the  land  of  promise, 
and  the  place  for  the  city  of  Zion.  Behold,  the  place 
which  is  now  called  Independence  is  the  centre  place, 
and  the  spot  for  the  temple  is  lying  westward,  upon  a 
lot  which  is  not  far  from  the  court-house  ;  wherefore  it 
is  wisdom  that  the  land  should  be  purchased  by  the 
saints  ;  and  also  my  tract  lying  westward,  even  unto 
the  line  rimning  between  Jcav*  and  Gentile;  and  also 

*  Lamanite  ? 


152 


MOEMONISM 


my  tract  bordering  by  the  prairies,  inasmuch  as  my 
disciples  are  enabled  to  buy  lands.  Behold,  this  is 
wisdom,  that  they  may  obtain  it  for  an  everlasting 
inheritance.  He  that  sendeth  up  treasures  unto  the 
land  of  Zion  shall  receive  an  inheritance  in  this  world, 
and  his  works  shall  follow  him,  and  also  reward  in  the 
world  to  come.  Let  all  the  moneys  that  can  be  spared, 
it  mattereth  not  whether  it  be  little  or  much,  be  sent 
up  into  the  land  of  Zion,  unto  them  whom  I  have  ap- 
pointed to  receive." 

A  large  tract  of  land  was  accordingly  purchased 
at  the  locality  selected;  a  town  site  was  laid  out, 
which  they  named  Independence ;  a  division  of  the 
Mormons  removed  there,  and  the  work  of  upbuilding 
was  commenced  at  once  and  vigorously  prosecuted. 


ITS   OKIGm,    RISE,    AI^D    PEOGEESS.  153 


CHAPTER  XI. 

Mormons  in  Missouri — Their  Prosperity  and  Adversity — Failure  of 
Smith's  Bank  at  Kirtland — The  Prophet  and  Young. flee  to  Mis- 
souri— Mob  Conflicts — Interposition  of  Government  Authorities 
— The  Saints  driven  out  of  the  State — Scattered  Tribes — Asylum 
at  Nauvoo. 

Ix  1834,  most  of  the  Mormons  of  Ohio  had  joined 
their  brethren  at  Independence,  Mo.  They  at  once 
engaged  in  industrial  pursuits,  many  of  them  proceed- 
ing to  convert  new  lands  into  cultivated  farms,  while 
the  mechanics,  artisans,  and  others,  pursued  their  ap- 
propriate callings  in  conducting  improvements  at  the 
centre.  The  town  sprang  up  in  quick  time,  with  the 
various  establishments  of  industry  necessary  for  em- 
ployment and  prosperity,  including  a  printing-office, 
conducted  by  W..  W.  Phelps,  late  of  Canandaigua, 
>T.  Y.  He  published  a  sort  of  religious  paper  called 
the  Evening  and  Morning  Star^  which  was  to  be 
the  adopted  organ  of  the  saints.  Smith  returned  to 
Kirtland,  where  Pratt  and  Young  had  remained,  and 
where  he  proposed  to  continue  his  residence  for  sev- 
eral years,  in  order  "  to  make  money,"  as  he  said,  for 


154:  MOEMONISM  I 

the  benefit  of  the  Church.  He  had  there  a  sort  of 
bank  of  issue,  on  what  was  then  called  the  "wild-cat" 
principle,  together  with  a  store  and  a  mill.  ^  He  had, 
moreover,  at  Kirtland,  a  comfortable,  well-furnished 
dwelling-house,  which  the  "  saints  "  had  provided  for 
him  in  obedience  to  revelation.  He  was,  naturally 
enough,  in  no  haste  to  part  with  these  luxuries,  and 
it  was  convenient  for  him  to  be  "  commanded  of  the 
Lord  "  to  retain  his  dwelling-jDlace  as  stated.  Other 
Mormons,  chiefly  those  with  families,  also  remained 
behind,  to  work  their  farms  and  better  prepare  to  join 
the  new  settlement. 

Rigdon  took  the  temporary  lead  at  Independence, 
though  he  and  Smith  occasionally  exchanged  visits, 
and  continued  to  act  harmoniously  together  in  the 
revelation  business.  At  one  period,  however,  during 
this  separation  by  locality,  an  alienation  between 
these  worthies  was  apparently  threatened  by  some 
cause  not  deiinitely  understood  ;  though  this  menace 
— perhaps  unfortunate  for  both  of  them  ultimately — 
w\as  averted  without  an  open  rupture.  Very  likely 
the  aspiring  ambition  of  Brighara  Young,  who  was 
with  Smith  at  Kirtland  at  this  time,  was  the  chief 
agency  in  giving  rise  to  some  jealousies ;  but  the 
threatened  rupture,  if  permitted  by  Smith  to  occur, 
would  have  endangered  if  not  blown  up  the  whole 
Mormon  project.  And,  of  course,  the  culmination 
was  averted. 


ITS    OEIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  155 

Smith's  banking  and  commercial  enterprises  at 
Kirtland  finally  resulted  disastrously.  His  circulating 
medium  had  no  redeeming  basis,  and  was  worthless  in 
the  hands  of  the  people.  His  bank  exploded,  his  mill 
stopped,  and  his  store  closed.  These  secular  opera- 
tions proved  him  an  incompetent  banker,  an  indiffer- 
ent merchant,  and  a  poor  business-man.  The  popular 
excitement  rose  high  against  him  and  his  religious 
pretensions.  His  effects  in  Ohio  were  hastily  dis- 
posed of  to  the  best  practicable  advantage,  and  in 
1835  he  accepted  Missouri  as  his  "j^romised  land" 
and  safer  abiding-place.     Young  fled  with  him. 

In  the  month  of  January,  1838,  Smith  and  Rig- 
don,  being  at  Kirtland  together,  were  both  arrested 
on  charges  of  swindling,  in  connection  with  their  / 
worthless  paper  bank  and  other  fraudulent  operations. 
The  suit  was  instituted  by  citizens  who  had  become 
incensed  by  the  perplexing  losses  they  had  sustained  ; 
and  they  were  understood  to  be  joined  in  the  pro- 
ceeding by  some  disaffected  or  "  apostate  "  Mormons. 
The  prisoners,  however,  escaped  from  the  sheriff  in  |x^ 
the  night,  and  made  their  way  on  horseback  to  Mis- 
souri. Smith  gave  the  following  version  of  the  affair 
in  the  Evening  and  Morning  Star^  at  Independence  : 

"  A  new  year  dawned  upon  the  Church  at  Kirt- 
land in  all  the  bitterness  of  the  spirit  of  apostate 
mobocracy,  which  continued  to  rage  and  grow  hotter 
and   hotter,   until   Elder  Rigdon   and    myself  were 


/ 


156  MOEMOXISM  : 

obliged  to  flee  from  its  deadly  influence,  as  did  the 
apostles  and  prophets  of '  old,  and  as  Jesus  said, 
'When  they  persecute  you  in  one  city,  flee  ye  to 
another  ; '  and  on  the  evening  of  the  12th  of  January, 
about  ten  o'clock,  we  left  Kirtland  on  horseback,  to 
escape  mob  Yiolence,  which  was  about  to  burst  upon 
us,  under  the  color  of  legal  process  to  cover  their  hell- 
ish designs,  and  save  themselves  from  the  just  judg- 
ment of  the  law.  The  weather  was  extremely  cold, 
and  we  were  obliged  to  secrete  ourselves,  sometimes, 
to  elude  the  grasp  of  our  pursuers,  who  continued 
their  race  more  than,  two  hundred  miles  from  Kirt- 
land, armed  with  pistols,  etc.,  seeking  our  lives." 

Before  leaving  Kirtland,  the  "  saints  "  encountered 
schisms  and  dissensions  among  themselves,  such  as 
would  have  put  an  end  to  the  progress  of  a  less  per- 
severing people  in  a  better  cause.  Renunciations, 
secessions,  and  apostasies,  at  this  period  in  their  ca- 
reer, had  become  common  occurrences.  And  these  / 
troublous  elements,  as  will  be  seen,  were  transmitted 
to  Missouri,  and  indeed  wherever  they  have  had  ex- 
istence. Expulsions  from  the  Church,  and  published 
proscriptions,  have  been  the  frequently  occurring  con- 
sequences, though  restorations  have  been  brought 
about  when  acceptable  to  the  parties  affected. 

Martin  Harris,  it  will  be  remembered,  was  the  de- 
voted follower  and  generous  patron  of  Smith  in  the 
times  of  his  greatest  need.     He  supplied  the  material 


ITS    OKIGm,    EISE,    AND   PKOGEESS.  157 

aid  so  necessary  in  starting  the  Mormon  train.  He 
paid  for  printing  the  original  edition  of  the  "  Golden  v 
Bible,"  thus  supplying  the  foundation  of  the  Mormon 
Church  ;  and  he  gave  to  Smith  his  wedding-suit,  on 
the  j^retence  of  its  being  consecrated  to  the  "  mission- 
ary "  service.  Pie  was,  moreover,  the  sole  "  witness  " 
approaching  to  credibility  in  the  matter  of  the  ver- 
itable existence  of  the  metallic  records.  And  not- 
withstanding the  failure  of  the  book-printing  as  an 
anticipated  money  speculation,  he  continued  his  lib- 
eral contributions  to  Smith,  accepting  as  binding  the 
latters  "  revelations  "  from  time  to  time  requiring  his 
coffers  to  be  filled  by  the  "  saints."  But  Harris,  becom- 
ing reduced  in  his  worldly  circumstances,  fell  into  dis- 
repute with  his  trusted  friend,  who  complained  of  his 
extreme  fanaticism,  his  loquacity  and  officiousness. 
He  demanded  higher  "spiritual"  consideration  in  the 
synagogue  than  was  held  to  be  consistent  or  safe  by 
the  prophet.  The  fanaticism  that  was  so  welcome 
when  available  in  the  raising  of  jjecuniary  means,  was 
not  at  all  the  qualification  required  by  the  cunning 
Smith  in  the  conductors  of  the  imposture  at  its  ma- 
turity. Appeals  were  made  for  recognition  of  the 
obligation  imposed  and  the  promises  made  at  Man- 
chester and  Palmyra.  But  these  appeals  were  un- 
heeded by  Smith.  Having  lost  his  property  and  his 
home  in  the  incipiency  of  the  "Baint"  speculation, 
the  cheated  fanatic  was  ungratefnlly  discarded  by  the 


158  MOKMONISM  : 

now  comparatively  affluent  recipient  of  liis  early  mu- 
nificence. 

The  alienation  was  widened,  and  the  feud  became 
bitter.  Smith  posted  Harris  and  others  in  the  "  Elder's 
Journal"  in  this  form  : 

"  There  are  negroes  who  wear  white  skins,  as  well 
as  black  ones — Grames  Parish  and  others  who  acted 
as  lackeys^  such  as  Martin  Harris  y  but  they  are  so 
far  beneath  contempt,  that  a  notice  of  them  would  be 
too  great  a  sacrifice  for  a  gentleman  to  make.'''' 

Harris  was  exj)elled  from  the  Church.  He  was, 
however,  afterward  awarded  a  restoration,  which 
proffer  of  grace  he  declined,  and  permanently  seceded 
from  the  Smith  organization.  He  nevertheless  main- 
tained his  adhesion  to  his  Mormon  faith.  This  is  in 
accordance  with  his  own  declaration  as  made  when 
he  was  last  at  the  scene  of  his  early  delusion,  in  the 
summer  of  1858.  Then  his  condition  was  that  of  ex- 
treme poverty,  being  an  object  of  dee2>felt  sympathy 
to  the  contemporaries  of  his  days  of  prosperity.  His 
last  fixed  residence  is  understood  to  have  been  at 
Kirtland, 

Others  of  the  pioneer  "saints"  found  difficulties  in 
their  pathway.  Oliver  Cowdery,  the  amanuensis  to 
the  translator  of  the  Golden  Bible,  and  David  Whit- 
mer,  another  of  the  "witnesses"  in  this  matter,  ap- 
pear to  have  been  prominent  among  those  falling  into 
transgression  and  tribulation.    At  Independence,  Rig- 


ITS    OKIGIN,    EISE,    AND    PKOGKESS.  159 

don  publicly  charged  these  men  with  being  connected 
with  "a  gang  of  counterfeiters,  thieves,  liars,  and 
blacklegs  of  the  deepest  dye,"  and  with  "deceiving, 
cheating,  and  defrauding  the  saints."  And  Hyruni 
Smith,  who  had  been  imprisoned  in  the  Jackson  Coun- 
ty jail,  wrote  this  certificate  of  character  for  Cowdery : 

"  Those  with  whom  I  had  been  acquainted  from 
my  youth,  and  who  had  ever  pretended  the  greatest 
friendship  toward  me,  came  to  my  house  while  I  was 
in  prison,  and  ransacked  and  carried  off  many  of  my 
valuables ;  this  they  did  under  the  cloak  of  friendship. 
Among  those  who  treated  me  thus,  I  cannot  help 
making  mention  of  Lyman  Cowdery,  who,  in  connec- 
tion with  his  brother,  Oliver  Cowdery,  took  from  me 
a  great  many  things  ;  and  to  cap  the  climax  of  his  in- 
iquity, compelled  my  aged  father,  by  threatening  to 
bring  a  mob  upon  him,  to  deed  over  to  him,  or  to  his 
brother  Oliver,  about  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
land,  to  pay  a  note  which  I  had  given  to  Oliver  for 
one  hundred  and  sixty-five  dollars." 

Oliver  Cowdery  was  afterward  arraigned  before 
the  Church,  and  found  guilty  of  the  following  among 
other  charges : 

"  Seeking  to  destroy  the  character  of  Joseph 
Smith,  Jr.,  by  falsely  insinuating  that  he  was  guilty 
of  adultery. 

"  Disgracing  the  Church  by  being  connected  with 
the  bogus  business,  as  common  report  says." 


160  MORMONISM  : 

Conviction  and  expulsion  were  the  fate  of  Cow- 
dery,  in  this  instance ;  though  he  was  shortly  after- 
ward received  again  into  the  bosom  of  the  Mormon 
sanctuary,  and  continued  his  labors  as  an  accredited 
"  elder  "  of  that  persuasion. 

In  Missouri,  after  a  brief  career  of  prosperity,  the 
history  of  the  Mormons  became  one  of  almost  con- 
tinuous warfare  with  the  citizens  of  the  neighboring 
country  as  a  community,  and  with  the  public  author- 
ities of  their  different  localities  and  the  State.  Jeal- 
ousies and  dissensions  among  themselves  aggravated 
their  afflictions  and  their  perils.  But  determination 
and  25^1'severauce,  such  as  is  repelled  by  no  obstacles 
within  human  endurance,  marked  the  character  of 
Smith  and  his  associate  leaders  to  the  last — Mormon- 
ism  knowing  no  other  motto  than  "onward,"  while  its 
pursuit  is  possible. 

The  interests  of  their  embryo  town  (Independence) 
having  been  confided  to  committees  appointed  for  that 
purpose,  who  had  been  indefatigable  in  the  prosecu- 
tion of  the  required  improvements,  the  place  had  come 
to  contain  about  twelve  handred  Mormons  in  1834. 
At  this  early  period  of  their  Missouri  history,  the 
alleged  licentious  character  and  fraudulent  practices 
of  the  "  saints,"  added  to  some  real  or  fancied  offences 
in  regard  to  the  then  existing  slavery  question,  caused 
an  excited  state  of  feeling  among  the  Missouri  people 
against  them.     They  were  accused  of  stealing  cattle 


ITS   OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  161 

and  other  property,  of  being  connected  with  counter- 
feiting gangs,  and  of  nearly  all  the  various  offences 
in  the  criminal  catalogue. 

A  public  meeting  of  the  inhabitants  of  the  sur- 
rounding towns  was  called  to  consider  the  subject  of 
ridding  themselves  of  the  source  of  their  annoyance. 
The  meeting  was  held  on  the  20th  of  July,  at  which  it 
was  resolved  to  expel  the  Mormons  from  the  State. 
What  was  characterized  as  an  "indecent  and  libellous 
publication"  had  appeared  in  Phelps'  paper,  and  this 
served  to  inflame  still  more  the  excited  minds  of  the 
Missourians.  Riotous  scenes  of  violence  followed. 
The  printing-office  was  destroyed,  several  of  the 
"  saints  "  were  tarred  and  feathered,  and  others  were 
killed  and  wounded  while  defending  their  rights. 

By  the  interposition  of  the  local  authorities,  a  tem- 
porary suspension  of  this  mob  violence  followed,  but 
the  populace  refused  to  revoke  their  resolution.  The 
meeting  reassembled  on  the  23d  of  July,  in  augmented 
and  armed  force,  when  the  determination  fo.r  the  ex- 
pulsion of  the  whole  Mormon  tribe  from  the  State  was 
unanimously  voted.  Conferences  were  held  between 
the  belligerents,  resulting  in  an  agreement  on  the  part 
of  the  "  saints  "  to  remove  from  Jackson  County  as 
soon  as  practicable,  reserving  the  privilege  of  an  op- 
portunity to  dispose  of  their  property  and  provide  for 
removal.  The  agreement  was  in  writing,  and  signed 
by  the  leaders  of  the  two  parties.     The  Mormons 


162  MOEMONISM  : 

were  to  be  allowed  the  time  until  the  following  spring 
to  complete  their  part  of  the  agreement. 

In  the  interim,  the  governor  of  the  State  was  ap- 
pealed to  by  the  Mormons  for  redress,  and  he  advised 
them  to  ap2)ly  to  the  courts.  Accordingly,  encouraged 
by  this  favor  of  the  State,  suits  were  commenced 
against  several  of  the  ringleaders  of  the  mob ;  and 
having  taken  the  advice  of  Smith  at  Kirtland,  the 
aggrieved  party  resolved  to  disregard  the  forced 
treaty  and  maintain  their  ground.  Further  lawless 
violence  was  thus  provoked ;  a  sort  of  civil  war  took 
place ;  both  parties  were  armed ;  and  two  Missourians 
were  among  the  killed.    The  saints  were  overpowered. 

The  Mormons  now  hastily  abandoned  their  posi- 
tion, most  of  them  going  into  Clay  County  as  a  tem- 
porary refuge,  expecting  to  return  to  Independence 
and  resume  their  possessions  there  after  judicial  action 
should  secure  to  them  protection.  The  persecution 
endured  by  them  enlisted  in  their  behalf  the  general 
sympathies  of  the  people,  and  brought  in  converts. 
They  spread  into  Caldwell  and  Davies  Counties,  estab- 
lishing the  city  of  Far  West  in  the  latter  county,  and 
under  the  prevailing  impulse  continued  for  a  while  to 
prosper  and  multiply  their  numbers. 

The  Missourians  "  found  in  their  midst  an  isfnorant, 
clannish  population,  combined  together  by  religious 
fanaticism,  arrogant  and  overbearing  in  their  preten- 
sions, and  completely  under  the  control  of  a  single 


ITS    OKIGm,    RISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  163 

■will."  The  popular  outside  feeling  again  became  ex- 
cited against  the  tribe.  This  gave  rise  to  a  public 
meeting  of  the  inhabitants  in  June,  1836,  by  which  a 
resolution  was  passed  admonishing  the  obnoxious 
community  to  leave  the  State — time  being  allowed 
them  as  before  to  harvest  their  crops  and  dispose  of 
their  property.  The  "  saints,"  fearing  the  consequences 
of  a  different  policy,  agreed  to  the  proposal. 

In  the  mean  time,  the  Mormons  had  not  sold  their 
property  at  IndeiDendence;  and,  under  Smith's  advice, 
refused  to  sell  at  any  price,  contending  that  "  the  Lord 
had  said  that  Zion  should  not  be  removed  out  of  her 
place ;  therefore  the  land  should  not  be  sold,  but  be 
held  by  the  saints,  until  the  Lord  in  his  wisdom  opens 
a  way  for  their  return."  Criminal  proceedings  were 
instituted  against  those  who  had  forcibly  ejected  the 
ovAiers,  and  were  in  some  instances  lawlessly  occupy- 
ing the  property. 

Time  passed ;  one  provocation  led  to  another ;  mob 
violence  revived  ;  the  State  militia  was  called  out  by 
the  governor ;  both  parties  were  armed  ;  Smith  deter- 
mined to  defend  his  legal  rights  at  all  hazards ;  and 
mortal  combat  was  imminent.  The  sum  and  sub- 
stance of  the  result  was,  the  anti-Mormons  achieved 
an  easy  victory.  None  Avere  killed  or  seriously 
wounded  on  either  side.  The  Prophet  Joseph  and 
his  brother  Hyrum,  with  some  forty  others  of  their 
party,  were  captured  and  imprisoned  in  the  county 


^1 


164  MOEMONISM : 

jail.  Thus  ended  this  struggle,  and  the  Mormons 
finally  agreed  with  the  State  authorities  that  they 
would  permanently  leave  the  State.  What  height- 
ened the  difiiculty  of  the  Mormons  in  this,  as  in  the 
former  conflicts,  was  the  fact  of  their  having  to  en- 
counter exasperated  seceders  among  the  most  savage 
of  their  enemies. 

General  Clark,  who  commanded  the  Missouri  State 
militia  in  this  aifair,  said,  in  a  dispatch  to  Governor 
Boggs,  :N'ovem"ber  10,  1838: 

"  There  is  no  crime,  from  treason  down  to  petit 
larceny,  but  these  people,  or  a  majority  of  them,  have 
been  guilty  of — all,  too,  under  the  counsel  of  Joseph 
Smith,  Jr.,  the  prophet.  They  have  committed  trea- 
son, murder,  arson,  burglary,  robberj^,  larceny,  and 
perjury.  They  have  societies  formed  under  the  most 
binding  covenants  in  form,  and  the  most  horrid  oaths, 
to  circumvent  the  laAvs  and  put  them  at  defiance ;  and 
to  plunder,  and  burn,  and  murder,  and  divide  the 
spoils  for  the  use  of  their  Church."  " 

In  answer  to  this  dispatch,  the  governor  wrote  to 
the  general,  that  "  the  ringleaders  of  the  rebellion 
should  be  made  an  example  of;  and,  if  it  should  be- 
come necessary  to  the  public  peace,  the  Mormons 
should  be  exterminated  or  expelled  from  the  State." 

The  Mormons  could  not  longer  stem  the  tide  of 
popular  exasperation  against  them,  and  had  no  other 
alternative  than  to  quit  Missouri,  which  they  did  as 


1G5 

speedily  as  possible.  By  agreement,  commissioners 
were  ajipointecl  by  the  Governor  to  sell  their  prop- 
erty, pay  their  debts,  and  aid  them  in  removing. 
The  Legislature  appropriated  two  thousand  dollars  for 
this  object,  and  liberal  contributions  to  the  same  end 
were  made  by  individuals.  Many  of  the  retreating 
families  were  in  destitute  circumstances,  and  could 
not  have  gone  without  great  distress,  but  for  the 
means  thus  supplied. 

Thus  reduced  to  fugitives  and  wanderers,  the  pro- 
scribed "  saints  "  were  compelled  to  scatter  in  different 
directions.  Their  condition  would  now  challenge 
comparison  with  that  of  the  "scattered  tribes"  of 
their  Babylonish  ancestors.  They  had  almost  come 
to  doubt,  indeed,  that  "  the  earth  is  the  residence  of 
the  saints."  Before  the  close  of  1839  they  had  all 
been  driven  from  Missouri. 

Governor  Boggs,  in  a  special  communication  on  this 
subject  to  the  Missouri  Legislature,  in  1840,  thus  re- 
fers to  the  Mormons : 

"  These  people  had  violated  the  laws  of  the  land 
by  open  force  and  avowed  resistance  to  them;  they 
had  undertaken,  without  the  aid  of  the  civil  authority, 
to  redress  their  real  or  fancied  grievances ;  they  had 
instituted  among  themselves  a  government  of  their 
own,  independent  and  in  opposition  to  the  govern- 
ment of  this  State,  that  had,  at  an  inclement  season 
of  the  year,  driven  the  inhabitants  of  an  entire  county 


166  MOEMOinSM: 

from  their  liomes,  ravaged  their  cro]:*?,  and  destroyed 
their  dwellings.  Under  these  circumstances,  it  be- 
came the  imperious  duty  of  the  executive  to  inter- 
fere, and  exercise  the  powers  with  which  he  was  in- 
vested to  protect  the  lives  and  property  of  our  citi- 
zens, to  restore  order  and  tranquillity  to  the  county, 
and  maintain  the  supremacy  of  the  laws." 

Leaving  Missouri,. the  Mormons  crossed  the  river 
into  Illinois,  most  of  them  findino;  refug-e  in  Hancock 
County — some  of  them,  however,  returning  to  Ohio,' 
and  a  few  of  the  repentant  dupes  withdrawing  en- 
tirely from  the  brotherhood.  The  main  body  estab- 
lished themselves  at  the  point  on  the  Mississippi,  in 
Hancock  County,  which  they  named  Nauvoo. 

Perhaps  the  occasion  should  not  pass  without  the 
remark,  that  by  enlightened  23eople  the  Mormons  were  v/ 
regarded  as  the  victims  of  misguided  vengeance  in 
Missouri.  The  ruffianly  violence  they  encountered  at 
the  hands  of  lawless  mobs,  in  several  instances  eventu- 
ating in  deliberate  murder,  finds  no  extenuation  in 
any  alleged  provocation.  The  due  process  of  law 
might  have  afforded  adequate  redress  for  the  crim- 
inalities of  which  they  should  be  found  guilty  on 
legal  trial.  Such  w^as  the  view  of  the  subject  rightly 
taken  by  the  people  of  Illinois  and  of  the  Avorld, 
though  it  may  have  been  wrongfully  applied  in  favor 
of  the  cause  of  the  persecuted. 


rrS    OEIGIX,    EISE,    AXD   PE0GEES3.  167 


CHAPTER  Xn. 

Mormons  settle  at  NauToo — Public  Sympathr — Accessions  and  Con- 
versions— City  Charter — Revelations  for  Temple  and  Nauvoo 
House — Spiritual  "Wifeism  and  Polygamy. 

Ix  1840,  XauYOO  had  become  the  chief  seat  of 
Mormonism.  The  scattered  "  saints  "  had  found  a  ref- 
uge on  the  Illinois  side  of  the  Mississippi,  in  Hancock 
County,  which  they  named  as  above.  They  were 
generally  welcomed  and  congratulated  by  the  people 
of  the  surrounding  country.  Xotwithstanding  the 
atrocious  character  of  the  religious  imposture  pur- 
sued, and  the  false  and  delusive  pretensions  of  its  con- 
ductors, the  cry  of  persecution,  so  well  founded  in 
truth,  enlisted  the  public  sympathy  in  behalf  of  the 
proscribed  exiles  from  Missouri.  The  advantages  of 
the  situation  were  seized  by  Prophet  Smith  and  his 
apostles  and  elders.  Preachers  and  missionaries  were 
put  in  active  and  efficient  service,  and  vast  numbers, 
both  converts  and  unbelievers,  flocked  in  to  aid  the 
enterprise  of  building  up  a  new  city.  The  persever- 
ance and  bravery  that  had  been  displayed  by  the 


168  MOEMONISM  ; 

leaders,  and  the  endurance  and  enthusiasm  evidenced 
by  their  ignorant  and  fanatical  followers,  amid  all  the 
varieties  of  their  good  and  evil  fortune,  would  have 
deserved  hig-h  admiration  in  a  meritorious  cause. 

From  Brigham  Young,  Parley  P.  Pratt,*  and 
others,  who  had  been  sent  out  from  Ohio  and  Missouri 
as  foreign  missionaries,  to  spread  the  Mormon  gospel 
to  the  uttermost  parts  of  the  earth,  vividly  encoura- 
ging accounts  were  received  by  Prophet  Smith.  In 
the  spring  of  1841,  Young  shipped  from  Liverpool  to 
New  York  for  the  "  promised  land,"  seven  hundred 
and  sixty-nine  of  the  faithful ;  and  at  the  same  time 
returned  himself  to  Nauvoo,  leaving  in  England, 
Scotland,  and  Wales,  numerous  churches  with  or- 
ganizations completed,  as  the  results  of  the  labors  of 
himself  and  his  colleagues.  The  Book  of  Mormon 
had  been  republished  and  disseminated,  tracts  printed 
and  distributed,  religious  papers  established  and  cir- 
culated, and  all  the  proselyting  machinery  set  in 
operation  in  those  countries,  such  as  were  calculated 
to  convince  and  w^in  the  minds  suitably  constituted 
to  receive  the  pretensions  put  forth. 

These  immigrants,  followed  by  similar  masses 
from  abroad,  were  joyfully  received  at  Nauvoo,  rap- 

*  Pratt  rejoined  the  Mormon  brotlierhood  at  Salt  Lake,  and  was 
afterward  assassinated  by  the  exasperated  husband  of  a  woman  who 
had  been  converted  to  Mormonism  in  Arkansas,  in  1856.  See  Ap- 
pendix for  particulars. 


ITS    OKIGIN,    EISE,    AKD   PEOGEESS.  169 

idly  augmenting  the  population  of  that  "  Saints'  rest." 
Like  accessions  of  foreign  converts  had  been  pre- 
viously received  in  Missouri ;  and  these,  with  others 
originally  destined  for  that  State,  were  turned  to  the 
new  city.  Mormonism  was  proving  its  claim  as  the 
grand  focus  of  the  fanatical  element  of  the  world. 

Smith  saw  his  opportunity  and  embraced  it.  He 
put  forth  a  revelation,  in  which,  among  other  require- 
ments, a  temple  was  commanded  to  be  builf,  and  the 
saints,  far  and  near,  were  called  upon  to  come  for- 
ward with  their  gold,  silver,  precious  stones,  and 
property  and  means  of  every  kind  needed,  and  also 
with  the  labor  of  their  hands  to  fulfil  this  "  require- 
ment of  the  Lord."  The  response  v/as  prompt  and 
enthusiastic.  Li  the  same  season,  with  imposing  cere- 
monies, was  laid  the  corner-stone  of  a  temple,  which 
was  to  compare  in  size  and  magnificence  with  Solo- 
mon's at  Jerusalem.  An  efiective  lever  in  aid  of  this 
enterprise  was  the  Mormon  invention  of  the  doctrine 
of  "  baptism  for  the  dead,"  whereby  the  living  could 
be  baptized  for  the  salvation  of  the  souls  of  deceased 
friends.  This,  to  be  efficacious,  must  be  done  in  a 
spiritually  dedicated  temple.  The  doctrine  continues 
to  be  a  prominent  feature  in  the  Mormon  faith  and 
practice. 

A  liberal  city  charter  was  obtained  from  the  Il- 
linois Legislature,  in  1842,  grantmg,  among  other 
extraordinary  powers,  that  of  raising  a  strong  mili- 


lYO  MOEMONISM  : 

tary  orgauization.  The  "  JSTaiivoo  Legiou,"  extending 
finally  to  an  armed  force  of  four  thousand  men,  with 
Smith  as  the  general  in  command,  was  one  of  the 
fruits  of  this  State  action.  Smith  superbly  equipped 
himself,  and  called  to  his  aid  a  sj^lendid  staff.  At  the 
last  dress  parade  of  the  Legion,  he  was  accompanied 
in  the  field  by  a  display  of  ten  of  his  spiritual  wives 
or  concubines,  dressed  in  a  fine  uniform,  and  mounted 
on  elegant  white  horses. 

Mormonism  Avas  more  than  itself  again,  and  things 
went  on  swimmingly.  The  "  saints  "  were  now  esti- 
mated to  number  from  twelve  to  fifteen  thousand,  in 
Nauvoo  City  and  its  vicinity.  Smith  had  introduced 
the  system  of  "spiritual  wifeism,"  and  had  largely 
increased  his  household  by  celestial  ''  ensealment." 
This  was  the  preliminary  step  of  polygamy,  or  its 
practical  adoption,  though  it  had  not  yet  been  re- 
vealed as  a  tenet  in  the  Mormon  creed.  Howbeit,  he 
wanted  a  house  built  for  himself,  and  made  a  call 
upon  his  followers.  It  was  a  revelation  for  a  hotel 
institution,  in  which  he  was  to  have  his  headquarters, 
concluding  as  follows : 

"  Therefore,  let  my  servant  Joseph,  and  his  seed 
after  him,  have  place  in  that  house  from  generation  to 
generation,  for  ever  and  ever,  saith  the  Lord;  and  let 
the  name  of  that  house  be  called  the  ISTauvoo  House ; 
and  let  it  be  a  delightful  habitation  for  man,  and  a 
resting  place  for  the  weary  traveller." 


ITS    OEIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PKOGRESS.  171 

This  command,  like  all  other  communications  from 
the  same  source,  was  accepted  as  of  heavenly  authen- 
ticity, and  fulfilled  with  alacrity ;  for  it  was  reasoned 
by  his  disciples,  th'at  "  an  uneducated  man  who  could 
outdo  all  the  wisdom  of  the  world  in  translating  the 
hieroglyphic  records  constituting  the  Book  of  Mormon, 
can  be  no  other  than  an  inspired  prophet  who  is  to  be 
obeyed." 

The  ISTauvoo  House  was  built,  and  amply  fur- 
nished, and  Smith  Avas  at  once  its  proprietor  and  chief 
guest.  Suites  of  well-furnished,  rooms  were  appropri- 
ated to  the  use  of  himself  and.  his  family — most  of  his 
spiritual  wives  continuing  to  live  at  their  res^^ective 
homes,  some  of  them  remaining  with  their  believing 
temporal  husbands.  He  revelled  in  luxury,  played 
the  gentleman  and  the  saint,  hospitably  entertained 
his  friends,  and  became  exceedingly  popular  in  the 
Church  and  in  the  outside  world.  From  the  vaga- 
bondish,  taciturn,  penniless  "Joe  Smith,"  at  the  be- 
ojinnino;  of  his  »Mormon  scheme,  he  had  become  the 
rubicund,  genial,  affluent  autocrat -prophet,  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  pounds  avoirdupois,  with  forty 
wives  all  told.  His  children  could  not  be  enumerated 
with  any  degree  of  accuracy. 

Tbe  great  Mormon  ruler,  in  addition  to  his  extra- 
ordinary ecclesiastical  prerogatives,  was  now  (1843) 
commandant  of  the  ISTauvoo  Legion,  mayor  of  the  city, 
and  "  monarch  of  all  he  surveyed."    He  aspired  to  yet 


1Y2  MOKMONISM  : 

higher  dignity,  and  was  announced  in  the  Times 
and  Seasons  as  a  candidate  for  the  presidency  of  the 
United  States.  He  held  correspondence  with  Clay 
and  Calhoun  upon  grave  national  topics,  especially 
in  reference  to  the  policy  he  ought  to  pursue  if 
he  should  be  elected.  Thousands  of  his  followers 
cherished  an  undouhting  faith'  in  the  realization  of 
such  a  result.  By  his  tithing  levies,  he  had  amassed 
a  fortune  estimated  at  a  million  of  dollars,  as  property 
was  valued  at  Nauvoo.  The  number  of  converts,  at 
home  and  abroad,  was  claimed  to  be  one  hundred 
thousand,  and  rapidly  increasing. 

Such  is  a  glancing  view  of  Suiith's  spiritual  and 
temporal  circumstances  when  the  first  revelation  in 
favor  of  polygamy  occurred.  This  heavenly  com- 
munication, however,   Avas   for  years  withheld    as   a 

*  secret  from  all  but  the  initiated  dignitaries  of  the 
Chnrcli.  It  was  not,  indeed,  generally  admitted  as  a 
part  of  the  religion  of  the  "  saints,"  until  after  the  he- 
gira  to  Salt  Lake,  when  its  first  publication  appeared 
by  authority  in  the  Beseret  News,  September  14, 1852. 
From  that  date  it  has  been  accepted  as  a  fundamental 
tenet  in  the  Mormon  theology. 

This  subject  may  be  regarded  as  a  vastly  impor- 
tant one,  whether  considered  as  the  epoch  of  an  insti- 

•  tution  under  assumed  religious  sanctions,  which  is 
condemned  by  the  laws  and  by  the  civilization  of  the 
age,  or  in  reference  to  the  ultimate  consequences  and 


ITS    OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  1Y3 

perils  to  the  sect  immediately  affected.  Both  on  this 
account,  and  as  a  further  specimen  of  the  Smith-Rig- 
don  adroitness  in  "  revelation,"  the  essential  portions 
of  the  docimient  are  here  inserted.  As  officially  pro- 
mulgated in  the  manner  above  stated,  it  is  entitled — 

"  Hevelation  given  to  Joseph  Smithy  JVauvoo,  July 
12th,  1843. 

"Verily,  thus  saitli  the  Lord  unto  you,  my  servant 
Joseph,  that  inasmuch  as  you  haA^e  inquired  of  my 
hand  to  know  and  understand  wherein  I,  the  Lord, 
justified  my  servants  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob ;  as 
also  Moses.  David,  and  Solomon,  my  servants,  as 
touching  the  principle  and  doctrine  of  their  having 
many  wives  and  concubines:  Behold!  and  lo,  I  am 
the  Lord  thy  God,  and  will  answer  thee,  as  touching 
this  matter :  therefore,  prepare  thy  heart  to  receive 
and  obey  the  instructions  which  I  am  about  to  give 
unto  you;  for  all  those  who  have  this  law  revealed 
unto  them  must  obey  the  same ;  for  behold  !  1  reveal 
unto  you  a  new  and  an  everlasting  covenant,  and  if  ye 
abide  not  that  covenant,  then  are  ye  damned;  for  no 
one  can  reject  this  covenant  and  be  permitted  to  enter 
into  my  glory 

"And  verily  I  say  unto  you,  that  the  conditions  of 
this  law  are  these:  All  covenants,  contracts,  bonds, 
obligations,  oaths,  vows,  performances,  connections, 
associations,  or  expectations,  that  are  not  made,  and 


176  MOEMONISM  : 

ever,  and  all  manner  of  blasphemies,  and  if  they 
commit  no  murder,  wherein  they  shed  innocent  blood, 
yet  they  shall  come  forth  in  the  first  resurrection,  and 
enter  into  their  exaltation ;  but  they  shall  be  de- 
stroyed in  the  flesh,  and  shall  be  delivered  unto  the 
bufietings  of  Satan,  unto  the  day  of  redemption,  saitli 
the  Lord  God 

"  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  will  give  unto  thee 
the  law  of  my  holy  priesthood,  as  was  ordained  by 
me  and  my  Father  before  the  world  was.  Abraham 
received  all  things,  Avhatsoever  he  received,  by  revela- 
tion and  commandment,  by  my  word,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  hath  entered  into  his  exaltation,  and  sitteth  upon 
his  throne. 

"  Abraham,  received  promises  concerning  his  seed, 
and  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins — ^from  whose  loins  ye  are. 
viz.,  my  servant  Joseph — which  were  to  continue  so 
long  as  they  were  in  the  world ;  and  as  touching 
Abraham  and  his  seed  out  of  the  world,  they  should 
continue;  both  in  the  world  and  out  of  the  world 
should  they  continue  as  innumerable  as  the  stars ;  or, 
if  ye  were  to  count  the  sand  upon  the  sea-shore,  ye 
could  not  number  them.  This  promise  is  yours  also, 
because  ye  are  of  Abraham,  and  the  promise  was 
made  unto  Abraham,  and  by  this  law  is  the  continu- 
ation of  the  works  of  my  Father,  wherein  he  glori- 
fieth  himself.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  do  the  works  of 
Abraham;   enter  ye   into   my  law,  and  ye  shall  bo 


177 

saved.  But  if  ye  enter  not  into  my  law,  ye  cannot 
receive  the  promises  of  my  Father,  which  he  made 
unto  Abraham. 

"  God  commanded  Abraham,  and  Sarah  gave 
Hagar  to  Abraham  to  wife.  And  why  did  she  do  it  ? 
Because  this  was  the  law,  and  from  Hagar  sprang 
many  people.  This,  therefore,  was  fulfilling,  among 
other  things,  the  promises.  Was  Abraham,  therefore, 
under  condemnation  ?  Verily,  I  say  unto  you.  Nay ; 
for  the  Lord  commanded  it.  Abraham  was  com-, 
manded  to  offer  his  son  Isaac;  nevertheless,  it  was 
written.  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  Abraham,  however,  did 
not  refuse,  and  it  was  accounted  unto  him  for  right- 
eousness. 

"  Abraham  received  concubines,  and  they  bare  him 
children,  and  it  was  accounted  unto  him  for  righteous- 
ness, because  they  were  given  unto  him,  and  he  abode 
in  my  law;  as  Isaac  also,  and  Jacob,  did  none  other 
things  than  that  which  they  were  commanded;  and 
because  they  did  none  other  things  than  that  which 
they  were  commanded,  they  have  entered  into  their 
exaltation,  according  to  the  promises,  and  sit  upon 
thrones;  and  are  not  angels,  but  are  gods.  David 
also  received  many  wives  and  concubines,  as  also 
Solomon,  and  Moses  my  servant,  as  also  many  others 
of  my  servants,  from  the  beginning  of  creation  until 
this  time,  and  in  nothing  did  they  sin,  save  in  those 
things  which  they  received  not  of  me. 
8* 


176  MOKMONisM : 

ever,  and  all  manner  of  blasphemief^,  and  if  tbey 
commit  no  murder,  wherein  they  shed  innocent  blood, 
yet  they  shall  come  forth  in  the  first  resurrection,  and 
enter  into  their  exaltation ;  but  they  shall  be  de- 
stroyed in  the  flesh,  and  shall  be  delivered  unto  the 
bufietings  of  Satan,  unto  the  day  of  redemption,  saith 
the  Lord  God 

"  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  will  give  unto  thee 
the  law  of  my  holy  priesthood,  as  was  ordained  by 
me  and  my  Father  before  the  world  was.  Abraham 
received  all  things,  whatsoever  he  received,  by  revela- 
tion and  commandment,  by  my  word,  saith  the  Lord, 
and  hath  entered  into  his  exaltation,  and  sitteth  upon 
his  throne. 

"  Abraham,  received  promises  conceniing  his  seed, 
and  of  the  fruit  of  his  loins — from  whose  loins  ye  are, 
viz.,  my  servant  Joseph— which  were  to  continue  so 
long  as  they  were  in  the  world;  and  as  touching 
Abraham  and  his  seed  out  of  the  world,  they  should 
continue;  both  in  the  world  and  out  of  the  world 
should  they  continue  as  innumerable  as  the  stars ;  or, 
if  ye  were  to  count  the  sand  upon  the  sea-shore,  ye 
could  not  number  them.  This  promise  is  yours  also, 
because  ye  are  of  Abraham,  and  the  promise  was 
made  unto  Abraham,  and  by  this  law  is  the  continu- 
ation of  the  works  of  my  Father,  wherein  he  glori- 
fieth  himself.  Go  ye,  therefore,  and  do  the  works  of 
Abraham;   enter  ye   into   my  law,  and  ye  shall  bo 


ITS   OEIGIN",    EISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  1^7 

saved.  But  if  ye  enter  not  into  my  law,  ye  cannot 
receive  the  promises  of  my  Father,  which  he  made 
unto  Abraham. 

"  God  commanded  Abraham,  and  Sarah  gave 
Hagar  to  Abraham  to  wife.  And  why  did  she  do  it  ? 
Because  this  was  the  law,  and  from  Hagar  sj^rang 
many  people.  This,  therefore,  was  fulfilling,  among 
other  things,  the  promises.  "Was  Abraham,  therefore, 
under  condemnation  ?  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  Nay ; 
for  the  Lord  commanded  it.  Abraham  was  com-, 
manded  to  offer  his  son  Isaac ;  nevertheless,  it  was 
written.  Thou  shalt  not  kill.  Abraham,  however,  did 
not  refuse,  and  it  was  accounted  unto  him  for  right- 
eousness. 

"  Abraham  received  concubines,  and  they  bare  him 
children,  and  it  was  accounted  unto  him  for  righteous- 
ness, because  they  were  given  unto  him,  and  he  abode 
in  my  law;  as  Isaac  also,  and  Jacob,  did  none  other 
things  than  that  which  they  were  commanded;  and 
because  they  did  none  other  things  than  that  which 
they  were  commanded,  they  have  entered  into  their 
exaltation,  according  to  the  promises,  and  sit  upon 
thrones;  and  are  not  angels,  but  are  gods.  David 
also  received  many  wives  and  concubines,  as  also 
Solomon,  and  Moses  my  servant,  as  also  many  others 
of  my  servants,  from  the  beginning  of  creation  until 
this  time,  and  in  nothing  did  they  sin,  save  in  those 
things  which  they  received  not  of  me. 
8* 


178  MOEMONISM  : 

"David's  wives  and  concubines  were  given  unto 
him  of  me  by  the  hand  of  Kathan  my  servant,  and 
others  of  the  prophets  who  had  the  keys  of  this 
power;  and  in  none  of  these  things  did  he  sin  against 
me,  save  in  the  case  of  Uriah  and  his  wife  ;  and,  there- 
fore, he  hath  fallen  from  his  exaltation,  and  received 
his  portion ;  and  he  shall  not  inherit  them  out  of  the 
world,  for  I  gave  them  unto  another,  saith  the  Lord. 

"  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  I  give  unto  thee, 
my  servant  Joseph,  an  appointment,  and  restore  all 
things ;  ask  what  ye  will,  and  it  shall  be  given  unto 
you,  according  to  my  word ;  and  as  ye  have  asked 
concerning  adultery,  verily,  verilj^,  I  say  unto  you,  If 
a  man  receiveth  a  wife  in  the  new  and  everlasting 
covenant,  and  if  she  be  with  another  man,  and  I  have 
not  appointed  unto  her  by  the  holy  anointing,  she 
hath  committed  adultery,  and  shall  be  destroyed.  If 
she  be  not  in  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant,  and 
she  be  with  another  man,  she  has  committed  adultery ; 
and  if  her  husband  be  with  another  woman,  and  he 
was  under  a  vow,  he  hath  broken  his  vow,  and  hath 
committed  adultery;  and  if  she  hath  not  committed 
adultery,  but  is  innocent,  and  hath  not  broken  her 
vow,  and  she  knoweth  it,  and  I  reveal  it  unto  you,  my 
servant  Joseph,  then  shall  you  have  power,  by  the 
power  of  my  holy  priesthood,  to  take  her,  and  give 
her  unto  him  that  hath  not  committed  adultery,  but 
hath  been  faithful;  for  he  shall  be  made  ruler  over 


ITS     OEIftIN,    EISE,    AND    PEOGEESS.  179 

many;  for  I  have  conferred  upon  you  the  keys  and 
power  of  the  priesthood,  wherein  I  restore  all  things, 
and  make  known  nnto  you  all  things  in  due  time. 

"  And  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you.  That  whatso- 
ever you  seal  on  earth  shall  be  sealed  in  heaven  ;  and 
w^hatsoever  you  bind  on  earth,  in  my  name  and  by  my 
word,  saith  the  Lord,  it  shall  be  eternally  bound  in 
the  heavens  ;  and  whatsoever  sins  you  remit  on  earth, 
shall  be  remitted  eternally  in  the  heavens  ;  and  what- 
soever sins  you  retain  on  earth,  shall  be  retained  in 
heaven 

"  And  again,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  my  servant 
Joseph,  That  whatsoever  you  give  on  earth,  and  to 
whomsoever  you  give  any  one  on  earth,  by  my  word 
and  according  to  my  law,  it  shall  be  visited  with 
blessings  and  not  cursings,  and  with  my  power,  saith 
the  Lord,  and  shall  be  without  condemnation  on  earth 
and  in  heaven,  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  will 
be  with  thee  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world,  and 
through  all  eternity ;  for  verily  I  seal  upon  you  your 
exaltation,  and  prepare  a  throne  for  you  in  the  king- 
dom of  my  Father,  with  Abraham  your  fither.  Be- 
hold !  I  have  seen  your  sacrifices,  in  obedience  to  that 
which  I  have  told  you ;  go,  therefore,  and  I  make  a 
way  for  your  escaj^e,  as  I  accejDted  the  ofl:ering  of 
Abraham,  of  his  son  Isaac. 

"  Verily,  I  say  unto  you,  A  commandment  I  give 
unto  mine  handmaid,  Emma  Smith,  your  wife,  whom  I 


180  MOKMONISM  : 

have  given  imto  you,  that  she  stay  herself,  and  par- 
take not  of  that  which  I  commanded  you  to  offer  unto 
her;  for  I  did  it,  saith  the  Lord,  to  prove  you  all,  as  I 
did  Abraham,  and  that  I  might  require  an  offering  at 
your  hand  by  covenant  and  sacrifice ;  and  let  mine 
handmaid,  Emma  Smith,  receive  all  those  that  have 
been  given  unto  my  servant  Josei)h,  and  who  are 
virtuous  and  pure  before  me  ;  and  those  who  are  not 
pure,  and  have  said  they  were  pure,  shall  be  de- 
stroyed, saith  the  Lord  God ;  for  I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God,  and  ye  shall  obey  my  voice;  and  I  give  unto 
my  servant  Joseph  that  he  shall  be  made  ruler  over 
many  things,  for  he  hath  been  faithful  over  a  few 
things,  and  from  henceforth  I  will  strengthen  him. 

"  And  I  command  mine  handmaid,  Emma  Smith, 
to  abide  and  cleave  unto  my  servant  Joseph,  and  to 
none  else.  But  if  she  will  not  abide  this  command- 
ment, she  shall  be  destroyed,  saith  the  Lord,  for  I  am 
the  Lord  thy  God,  and  will  destroy  her  if  she  abide 
not  in  my  law  ;  but  if  she  will  not  abide  this  com- 
mandment, then  shall  my  servant  Joseph  do  all  things 
for  her,  as  he  hath  said;  and  I  will  bless  him,  and 
multiply  him,  and  give  unto  him  an  hundred-fold  in 
this  world,  of  fathers  and  mothers,  brothers  and 
sisters,  houses  and  lands,  wives  and  children,  and 
crowns  of  eternal  lives  in  the  eternal  worlds.  And 
again,  verily,  I  say,  Let  mine  handmaid  forgive  my 
servant  Joseph  his  trespasses,  and  then  shall  she  be 


181 


forgiven  her  trespasses,  Avherein  she  hath  trespassed 
against  me;  and  I,  the  Lord  thy  God,  will  bless 
her,  and  multi23ly  her,  and  make  her  heart  to  re- 
joice. 

"  And  again,  I  say,  let  not  my  servant  Joseph  put 
his  property  out  of  his  hands,  lest  an  enemy  come  and 
destroy  him — for  Satan  seeketh  to  destroy — for  I  am 
the  Lord  thy  God,  and  he  is  my  servant ;  and  behold ! 
and  lo,  I  am  with  him,  as  I  was  with  Abraham  thy 
father,  even  unto  his  exaltation  and  glory 

"  And  again,  as  pertaining  to  the  law  of  the  priest- 
hood :  if  any  man  espouse  a  virgin,  and  desire  to  es- 
pouse another,  and  the  first  give  her  consent ;  and  if 
he  espouse  the  second,  and  they  are  virgins,  and  have 
vowed  to  no  other  man,  then  is  he  justified  ;  he  can- 
not commit  adultery,  for  they  are  given  unto  him  ;  for 
he  cannot  commit  adultery  with  that  belonging  unto 
him,  and  to  none  else ;  and  if  he  have  ten  virgins 
given  unto  him  by  this  law  he  cannot  commit  adul- 
tery, for  they  belong  to  him,  and  they  are  given  unto 
him  ;  therefore  is  he  justified.  But  if  one  or  either 
of  the  ten  virgins,  after  she  is  espoused,  shall  be  with 
another  man,  she  has  committed  adultery,  and  shall 
be  destroyed ;  for  they  are  given  unto  him  to  multiply 
and  replenish  the  earth,  according  to  my  command- 
ment, and  to  fulfil  the  promise  which  was  given  by 
my  Father  before  the  foundation  of  the  Avorld,  and 
for  their   exaltation  in  the  eternal  worlds,  that  they 


182  MOEMONISM  : 

may  bear  the  souls  of  men ;  for  herein  is  the  work  of 
my  Father  continued,  that  he  may  be  glorified. 

"  And  again,  verily,  verily,  I  say  unto  you,  If  any 
man  have  a  wife  who  holds  the  keys  of  this  jDower, 
and  he  teaches  unto  her  the  law  of  my  priesthood  as 
pertaining  to  these  things,  then  shall  she  believe  and 
administer  unto  him^  or  she  shall  be  destroyed,  saith 
the  Lord  your  God  ;  for  I  will  destroy  her ;  for  I  will 
magnify  my  name  upon  all  those  who  receive  and 
abide  in  my  law.  Therefore  it  shall  be  lawful  in  me 
if  she  receive  not  this  law,  for  him  to  receive  all  things 
whatsoever  I,  the  Lord  his  God,  will  give  unto  him, 
because  she  did  not  believe  and  administer  unto  him 
according  to  my  word  ;  and  she  then  becomes  the 
transgressor,  and  he  is  exempt  from  the  law  of  Sarah, 
who  administered  unto  Abraham  according  to  the 
law,  when  I  commanded  Abraham  to  take  Hagar  to 
wife.  And  now,  as  pertaining  to  this  law,  A^erily, 
verily,  I  say  unto  you,  I  will  reveal  more  unto  you 
hereafter;  therefore  let  this  suffice  for  the  present. 
Behold  !  I  am  Alpha  and  Omega.     Amen." 


ITS    ORIGIN,    EISEj    AND   TKOGEESS.  *  183 


CHAPTER  XIII. 

The  Polygamous  Revelation— Vices  of  the  Saints— Criminations  and 
Recriminations— Conflict  with  State  Authorities— Assassination 
of  Joseph  and  Hyrum  Smith — Young  succeeds  to  the  Spiritual 
Dictatorship — Rigdon  defeated  and  expelled. 

The  inteqDolation  of  polygamy  into  ^Yhat  had 
been  received  by  the  disciples  of  Mormonism  as  their 
established  religious  and  theocratic  system,  appears 
to  have  been  put  forth  to  the  apostles  and  elders 
by  Prophet  Smith  under  great  embarrassments.  He 
knew  it  was  a  bold,  if  not  a  hazardous  venture ;  for 
he  was  aAvare  that  his  privy  councils  were  divided 
upon  the  questions  of  expediency  and  safety  involved. 
He  feared  that  it  might  serve  to  open  the  blinded 
eyes  of  the  honest  zealots  who  were  held  spell-bound 
to  his  supposed  inspired  will.  Moreover,  he  foresaw 
the  scorn  and  detestation  with  which  it  was  certain 
to  be  regarded  by  the  Gentile  world.  A  further  rea- 
son, if  not  the  more  essential  one,  for  apprehension 
and  concealment,  was  probably  found  in  the  fact  that 
by  the  law  of  Illinois  the  practice  of  polygamy  was 


184    •  MOEMONISM  : 

declared  "  bigamy,"  punishable  by  heavy  fine  and  im- 
prisonment in  the  penitentiary. 

The  occasion  called  for  the  exercise  of  extraordinary 
ingenuity,  and  his  invention  was  this  :  To  those  of  his 
believing  councillors  whose  dissent  he  anticipated,  he 
professed  great  concern  of  mind  on  account  of  the 
spiritual  mandate  under  which  he  had  been  placed, 
and  appointed  a  convocation  of  his  council  to  take 
action  upon  the  subject.  When  the  time  for  assem- 
bling arrived,  he  went  through  the  solemn  farce  of 
fleeing  the  city  on  horseback,  rather  than  be  the  me- 
dium of  communicating  a  revelation  so  repugnant  to 
his  mind !  But  he  soon  returned,  with  the  awful 
story  that  he  was  met  by  an  angel  w^ith  a  drawn 
sword,  who  commanded  him,  at  the  peril  of  instant 
death,  to  return  and  fulfil  liis  mission.  Of  course  he 
obeyed ;  such  authority  was  not  to  be  trifled  with ; 
and  his  estimate  of  the  credulity  of  the  superstitious 
minds  he  had  to  deal  with  was  amply  vindicated. 

Another  difficulty  with  Smith,  perhaps,  may  have 
been  found  in  the  embarrassment  which  he  felt  in 
reconciling  this  polygamous  revelation  with  the  teach- 
ings of  his  own  Book  of  Mormon  : 

"  And  were  it  not  that  I  must  speak  unto  you  con- 
cerning a  grosser  crime,  my  heart  would  rejoice  ex- 
ceedingly because  of  you.  But  the  word  of  God  bur- 
dens me  because  of  your  grosser  crimes.  For  behold, 
thus  saith  the  Lord,  This  people  begin  to  wax  in  in- 


185 


iquity  ;  they  understand  not  the  Scriptures  ;  for  they 
seek  to  excuse  themselves  in  committing  whoredoms, 
because  of  the  things  which  were  written  concerning 
David,  and  Solomon  his  son.  Behold,  David  and 
Solomon  truly  had  many  wives  and  concubines,  which 
thing  was  abominable  before  me,  saith  the  Lord. 
Wherefore,  thus  saith  the  Lord,  I  have  led  this  peo- 
ple forth  out  of  the  land  of  Jerusalem,  by  the  power 
of  mine  arm,  that  I  might  raise  up  unto  me  a  righteous 
branch  from  the  fruit  of  the  loins  of  Joseph  ;  where-, 
fore  I,  the  Lord  God,  will  not  suffer  that  this  people 
shall  do  like  unto  them  of  old.  Wherefore,  my  breth- 
ren, hear  me,  and  hearken  to  the  word  of  the  Lord ; 
for  there  shall  not  any  man  among  you  have  save  it 
be  one  Avife,  and  concubines  he  shall  have  none ;  for 
I,  the  Lord  God,  delight  in  the  chastity  of  women ; 
and  whoredoms  are  an  abomination  before  me." 

Again,  the  same  authority,  in  the  plagiarism  from 
Christ's  Sermon  on  the  Mount,  has  this  passage  ; 

"  Behold,  it  is  written  by  them  of  old  time,  That 
thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery ;  but  I  say  unto  you, 
That  whosoever  looketh  on  a  woman,  to  lust  after  her, 
hath  committed  adultery  already  in  his  heart." 

And  still  again,  the  Mormon  book  of  "  Doctrine 
and  Covenants  "  contains  the  following  ecclesiastical 
law  in  regard  to  marriage  ; 

"  You  both  mutually  agree  to  be  each  other's  com- 
panion, husband  and  wife,  observing  the  legal  rights 


186  MOEMONISM  : 

belonging  to  this  condition  ;  that  is,  keeping  your- 
selves wholly  for  each  other,  and  from  all  others, 
during  your  lives." 

The  polygamists  assume,  however,  to  find  author- 
ity for  their  apparent  inconsistency,  in  the  following 
passage  of  the  Mormon  scripture  : 

"  For  if  I  will,  saith  the  Lord  of  Hosts,  raise  up 
seed  iinto  me,  I  will  command  my  people ;  otherwise, 
they  shall  hearken  unto  these  things." 

It  must  be  by  a  very  forced  construction  that  the 
authority  sought  in  the  premises  can  be  drawn  from 
this  text  of  the  Mormon  bible.  The  simple  truth  of 
the  case  is,  that  the  revelation  had  become  a  "re- 
ligious necessity."  Smith,  Young,  Rigdon,  Pratt,  and 
others  in  the  same  dilemma,  had  proceeded  too  far 
in  the  mysteries  of  polygamy  (practised  under  a  dif- 
ferent name),  and  the  system  had  become  too  inter- 
woven with  their  "latter-day  "  saintism,  to  admit  of 
any  alternative  in  their  course,  or  continued  conceal- 
ment from  the  inner  circle.  Further  explanation  is 
deemed  superfluous  in  this  relation.  A  repetition  of 
the  offensive  particulars  already  extant  in  the  history 
of  the  parties  imx^licated,  and  of  the  Mormon  abom- 
ination generally,  might  seem  more  than  is  required 
by  the  public  sense. 

But  at  this  era,  saintly  troubles  were  rapidly  re- 
viving and  aggregating.  Schisms,  dissensions,  and 
apostasies,  were  again  rife  in  Mormondom.     The  II- 


1ST 


linois  people  were  intolerant  and  restive  in  view  of 
the  vices  and  criminalities  in  various  forms  ascribed 
to  the  latter-day  hypocrites.  These  were  necessarily 
the  sources  of  acrimonious  feeling  and  bitter  hate  be- 
tween the  conflicting  communities.  And  to  these 
causes,  aggravated  as  they  were  by  the  partially 
transpiring  polygamous  revelation,  with  its  concom- 
itants and  antecedents,  may  be  traced  the  final  event 
of  the  violent  death  of  its  author — which  was  fol- 
lowed in  two  years  by  the  dispersion  of  the  Mormon 
colony  from  Nauvoo.  For,  although  as  before  ex- 
plained, the  practice  of  polygamy,  then  present  and 
retrospective,  with  the  existence  of  the  Smith  dictum 
itself,  was  positively  denied  by  the  guilty  parties,  and 
this,  too,  in  a  public  sermon  by  Elder  Pratt ;  the  facts 
of  the  case  were  nevertheless  sufficiently  patent,  both 
within  and  without  the  Church,  to  discredit  the  solemn 
averments  of  the  Mormons  in  high  places,  and  thus  in- 
tensify the  bitterness  of  the  pervading  feud. 

From  this  time  forward  there  was  found  "  no  peace 
for  the  wicked."  Added  to  the  common  imputations 
of  hypocrisy  and  imposture,  charges  of  licentiousness, 
adultery,  seduction,  theft,  dishonesty,  and  crime  in 
greater  variety  than  ever,  were  brought  against  the 
doomed  leaders  and  their  bigoted  followers,  both  in- 
dividually and  collectively.  Slander  suits  were  com- 
menced on  the  one  side,  and  criminal  proceedings  in- 
stituted on  the  other.     Litigation  followed  litigation, 


188  MOEMONISM : 

pro  and  con.  Dr.  R.  D.  Foster,  a  seceder  (formerly 
of  Palmyra,  not  one  of  the  "pioneers"),  charged 
Smith  with  the  offence  of  spiritual  "sealing"  with 
his  wife.  Suits  multij^lied.  Attempts  to  arrest  Smith 
and  other  dignitaries  of  the  Church  were  resisted  by 
military  power.  .  The  charge  of  treason  was  brought 
against  the  offending  "  saints."  Still,  Mormon  de- 
fiance against  the  Illinois  authorities  was  persisted  in, 
and  General  Joseph  Smith  and  his  brother  Ilyrum,  at 
the  head  of  the  I^Tauvoo  Legion,  opposed  Governor 
Ford's  State  militia  which  had  been  called  out  to  en- 
force obedience  to  law.  The  aspect  was  threatening. 
The  o'overnor,  anxious  to  avoid  the  terrible  slauiJjh- 
ter  impending,  proposed  to  the  Smiths  a  surrender  as 
prisoners  to  thfe  sheriff,  and  the  disbandment  of  their 
legion  as  their  only  course  of  safety  for  their  own 
lives  and  for  their  city.  This  proposal  was  finally 
acceded  to,  the  governor  promising  them  protection 
against  violence  from  the  excited  populace  on  their 
way  to  jail  and  during  their  imprisonment.  Accord- 
ingly, the  legal  arrest  was  made,  and  they  were  con- 
veyed to  the  county  jail  at  Carthage.  Pursuant  to 
tlie  governor's  treaty  stipulation,  the  jail  was  placed 
under  a  military  guard  to  protect  the  prisoners  against 
the  known  existence  of  a  prevalent  avenging  feeling, 
particularly  existing  on  the  part  of  Mormon  dissen- 
tients whose  domestic  sanctums  were  alleged  to  have 
been  invaded.     Elder  John  Taylor  and  Dr.  William 


ITS    OEIGIK,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS. 


189 


Richards  were  also  arrested  and  placed  in  the  same 
room  with  the  Smiths. 

The  prisoners  had  been  in  the  jail  but  a  few  days, 
when  the  governor's  guard  became  reduced  by  the 
desertion  of  most  of  the  men  detailed,  and  late  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  27th  of  June,  1844,  the  remnant  of 
the  guard  were  overpowered  by  a  mob  of  two  hun- 
dred disguised  and  armed  men,  bent  upon  wreaking 
summary  vengeance  for  real  or  imaginary  wrongs. 
They  broke  open  the  prison  doors,  rushed  in  and  fired 
upon  the  helpless  inmates,  killing  the  two  Smiths,  and 
wounding  Elder  Taylor  severely.  Dr.  Richards  es- 
caped to  tell  the  tale,  which  he  did  in  the  following 
language,  dating  June  27,  1844,  as  published  in  the 
Nauvoo  Times  and  Seasons: 

"  A  shower  of  musket-balls  were  thrown  up  the 
stairway  against  the  door  of  the  prison  in  the  second 
story,  followed  by  many  rapid  footsteps,  while  Gen- 
eral Joseph  Smith  and  Hyrum  Smith,  Mr.  Taylor,  and 
myself,  who  were  in  the  front  chamber,  closed  the 
door  of  our  room  against  the  entry  at  the  head  of  the 
stairs,  and  placed  ourselves  against  it,  there  being  no 
lock  on  the  door,  and  no  ketch  that  was  useable.  The 
door  is  a  common  panel,  and,  as  soon  as  we  heard  the 
feet  at  the  stairs'  head,  a  ball  was  sent  through  the 
door,  which  passed  between  us,  and  showed  that  our 
enemies  were  desperadoes,  and  we  must  change  'our 
position.      General   Smith,  Mr.  Taylor,  and   myself, 


190  MOEMONISM  : 

sprang  back  to  the  front  part  of  the  room,  and  Hy- 
rum  Smith  retreated  two-thirds  across  the  chamber, 
directly  in  front  of  and  facing  the  door.  A  ball  was 
sent  through  the  door,  which  hit  Hyrum  on  the  side 
of  his  nose,  when  he  fell  backward,  extended  at 
leno'th,  without  niovino-  his  feet.  From  the  holes  in 
his  vest  (the  day  was  warm  and  no  one  had  their 
coats  on  but  myself),  pantaloons,  drawers,  and  shirt, 
it  appears  evident  that  a  ball  must  have  been  thrown 
from  without,  through  the  window,  which  entered  his 
back  on  the  right  side,  and,  passing  through,  lodged 
against  his  watch,  which  was  in  his  right  vest-pocket, 
completely  pulverizing  the  crystal  and  face,  tearing 
off  the  hands,  and  mashing  the  Avbole  body  of  the 
watch  ;  at  the  same  instant  the  ball  from  the  door  en- 
tered his  nose.  As  he  struck  the  floor,  he  exclaimed 
emphatically,  *  I'm  a  dead  man  ! '  Joseph  looked 
toward  him,  and  responded,  *  Oh  dear !  brother  Hy- 
rum  ! '  and  opening  the  door  two  or  three  inches  wdth 
his  left  hand,  discharged  one  barrel  of  a  six-shooter 
(pistol)  at  random  in  the  entry;  from  whence  a  ball 
grazed  Hyrum's  breast,  and,  entering  his  throat, 
passed  into  his  head,  while  other  muskets  were  aimed 
at  him,  and  some  balls  hit  him.  Joseph  continued 
snapping  his  revolver  round  the  casing  of  the  door 
into  the  space  as  before — three  barrels  of  which 
missed  fire — while  Mr.  Taylor,  with  a  walking-stick, 
stood  by  his  side,  and  knocked  down  the  bayonets 


191 


and  muskets  wbich  were  constantly  discharging 
through  the  doorway,  w^hile  I  stood  by  him,  ready 
to  lend  any  assistance,  with  another  stick,  but  could 
not  come  within  striking  distance  without  going  di- 
rectly before  the  muzzles  of  the  guns.  When  the  re- 
volver failed,  we  had  no  more  firearms,  and,  expecting 
an  immediate  rush  of  the  mob,  and  the  doorway  full 
of  muskets — half  way  in  the  room,  and  no  hope  but 
instant  death  from  within — Mr.  Taylor  rushed  to  the 
window,  which  is  some  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  from  the 
groimd.  When  his  body  was  nearly  on  a  balance,  a 
ball  from  the  door  within  entered  his  leg,  and  a  ball 
from  without  struck  his  watch,  a  jiatent  lever,  in  his 
vest-pocket,  near  the  left  breast,  and  smashed  it  in 
*  pi ' ;  the  force  of  which  ball  threw  him  back  on  the 
floor,  and  he  rolled  under  the  bed  Avhich  stood  by  his 
side,  where  he  lay  motionless,  the  mob  from  the  door 
continuing  to  fire  upon  him,  cutting  away  a  j)iece  of 
flesh  from  his  left  hip  as  large  as  a  man's  hand,  and 
were  hindered  only  by  my  knocking  down  their  muz- 
zles with  a  stick ;  while  they  continued  to  reach  their 
guns  into  the  room,  probably  left-handed,  and  aimed 
their  discharge  so  far  around  as  almost  to  reach  us  in 
the  corner  of  the  room  to  where  we  retreated  and 
dodged,  and  then  I  recommenced  the  attack  with  my 
stick  again.  Joseph  attempted,  as  the  last  resort,  to 
leap  the  same  window  from  whence  Mr.  Taylor  fell, 
when  two  bails  pierced  him  from  the  door,  and  one 


192  MOEMONISM  : 

entered  his  right  breast  from  without,  and  he  fell  out- 
ward, exclaiming,  '  O  Lord,  my  God  ! '  As  his  feet 
went  out  of  the  window,  my  head  went  in,  the  balls 
whistling  all  around.  Pie  fell  on  his  left  side,  a  dead 
man.  At  this  instant  the  cry  was  raised, '  He's  leaj^ed 
the  window  ! '  and  the  mob  on  the  stairs  and  in  the 
entry  ran  out.  I  withdrew  from  the  window,  think- 
ing it  of  no  use  to  leap  out  on  a  hundred  bayonets 
then  around  General  Smith's  body.  .  .  .  Mr.  Taylor 
called  out,  '  Take  me.'  I  pressed  my  way  till  I  found 
all  doors  unbarred ;  returning  instantly,  I  caught  Mr. 
Taylor  under  my  arm  and  rushed  by  the  stairs  into 
the  dungeon  or  inner  prison,  stretched  him  on  the 
floor,  and  covered  him  with  a  bed  in  such  a  manner 
as  not  likely  to  be  perceived,  expecting  an  immediate 
return  of  the  mob.  I  said  to  Mr.  Taylor,  '^his  is  a 
hard  case  to  lay  you  on  the  floor,  but,  if  your  wounds 
are  not  fatal,  I  want  you  to  live  to  tell  the  story.'  I 
expected  to  be  shot  the  next  moment,  and  stood  be- 
fore the  door  awaiting  the  onset." 

The  popular  excitement  ran  high.  The  emotions 
were  those  of  mingled  indignation,  sympathy,  and 
vengeance.  ISTauvoo  was  in  commotion.  Precaution- 
ary measures  were  at  once  taken  to  prevent  a  general 
bloody  outbreak.  The  Governor  hastened  to  the  scene, 
and,  intensely  wrought  upon  by  the  brutal  murder 
that  had  been  perpetrated  in  violation  of  the  pledge 
he  had  given,  sent  orders  to  the  Mormons  to  defend 


ITS   OEIGm,   EISE,   AND   PROGRESS.  193 

themselves  if  necessary,  in  the  best  manner  possible, 
until  he  could  send  them  protection.  But  further  vio- 
lence was  happily  averted. 

The  Governor  published  the  following  explanatory 
statement : 

"  I  desire  to  make  a  brief  but  true  statement  of  the 
recent  disgraceful  affair  at  Carthage,  in  regard  to  the 
Smiths,  so  far  as  circumstances  have  come  to  my 
knowledge.  The  Smiths,  Joseph  and  Hyrum,  have 
been  assassinated  in  jail ;  by  whom  it  is  not  known, 
but  will  be  ascertained.  I  pledged  myself  for  their 
safety ;  and  upon  the  assurance  of  that  pledge  they 
surrendered  as  prisoners.  The  Mormons  surrendered 
the  public  arms  in  their  possession,  and  the  Nauvoo 
Legion  submitted  to  the  command  of  Captain  Single- 
ton, of  Brown  County,  deputed  for  that  purj)ose  by 
me.  All  these  things  were  required  to  satisfy  the  old 
citizens  of  Hancock  that  the  Mormons  were  peaceably 
disposed,  and  to  allay  jealousy  and  excitement  in  their 
minds.  It  appears,  however,  that  the  cbmj)liance  of 
the  Mormons  with  every  requisition  made  upon  them 
failed  of  that  purpose.  The  pledge  of  security  to  the 
Smiths  was  not  given  upon  my  individual  responsi- 
bility. Before  I  gave  it,  I  obtained  a  pledge  of  honor, 
by  a  unanimous  vote  from  the  officers  and  men  under 
my  command,  to  sustain  me  in  performing  it.  If  the 
assassination  of  the  Smiths  was  committed  by  any 
portion  of  these,  they  have  added  treachery  to  mur- 


194  MOEMONISM  : 

der,  and  have  done  all  they  could  to  disgrace  the 
State  and  sully  the  public  honor. 

"  On  the  morning  of  the  day  the  deed  was  com- 
mitted, we  had  proposed  to  march  the  army  under 
my  command  into  Nauvoo.  I  had,  however,  dis- 
covered, on  the  evening  before,  that  nothing  but  utter 
destruction  of  the  city  would  satisfy  a  portion  of  the 
troops ;  and  that,  if  we  marched  into  the  city,  pre- 
texts would  not  be  wanting  for  commencing  hos- 
tilities. The  Mormons  had  done  every  thing  required, 
or  which  ought  to  have  been  required  of  them.  Of- 
fensive operations  on  our  part  would  have  been  as 
unjust  and  disgraceful  as  they  would  have  been  im-* 
politic,  in  the  present  critical  season  of  the  year,  the 
harvest,  and  the  crops.  For  these  reasons,  I  decided, 
in  a  council  of  officers,  to  disband  the  army,  except 
three  companies,  two  of  which  were  reserved  as  a 
guard  for  the  jail.  With  the  other  company  I 
marched  into  [Mauvoo,  to  address  the  inhabitants 
there,  and  tell  them  what  they  might  expect  in  case 
they  designedly  or  imprudently  provoked  a  war.  I 
performed  this  duty,  as  I  think,  plainly  and  emphat- 
ically, and  then  set  out  to  return  to  Carthage.  When 
I  had  marched  about  three  miles,  a  messenger  in- 
formed me  of  the  occurrences  at  Carthage.  I  has- 
tened on  to  that  place.  The  guard,  it  is  said,  did 
their  duty,  but  were  overpowered." 

The  bodies  of  the  victims  were  taken  to  Nauvoo, 


AND   PROGRESS.  195 

and  their  burial  was  attended  with  imposing  solem- 
nities. The  immediate  effect  upon  the  Mormons  of 
this  appalling  assassination  was  to  cancel  or  wipe  out 
of  remembrance  all  the  spreading  vices  of  the  la- 
mented prophet,  and  throw  a  halo  of  glory  around, 
his  character  as  a  martyr  who  had' sealed  with  his 
blood  the  truth  of  his  divine  pretensions.  The  out- 
side public  sentiment  being  terribly  shocked  by  the 
catastrophe,  sympathy  in  a  large  degree  suj^erseded 
the  feeling  of  indignation  and  malice. 

A  writer  in  the  Christian  Reflector^  at  the  time  of 
the  assassination,  thus  described  the  character  of  the 
prophet : 

"  Various  are  the  opinions  concerning  this  singular 
personage ;  but  whatever  may  be  thought  in  reference 
to  his  principles,  objects,  or  moral  character,  all  agree 
that  he  was  a  most  remarkable  man.  Born  in  the 
very  lowest  walks  of  life,  reared  in  poverty,  educated 
in  vice,  having  no  claims  to  even  common  intelligence, 
coarse  and  vulgar  in  deportment.  Smith  succeeded  in 
establishing  a  religious  creed,  the  tenets  of  which 
have  been  taught  throughout  America ;  the  prophet's 
virtues  have  been  rehearsed  in  Europe  ;  the  ministers 
of  Nauvoo  have  found  a  welcome  in  Asia ;  Africa  has 
listened  to  the  grave  sayings  of  the  seer  of  Palmyra ; 
the  standard  of  the  Latter-Day  Saints  has  been  reared 
on  the  banks  of  the  Nile ;  and  even  the  Holy  Land 

has  been  entered  by  the  emissaries  of  this  impostor. 

/ 
/ 


196  MOEMONISM  : 

He  founded  a  city  in  one  of  tlie  most  beautiful  situa- 
tions in  the  world,  in  a  beautiful  curve  of  the  '  Father 
of  Waters,'  of  no  mean  pretensions,  and  in  and  about 
it  he  had  collected  a  population  of  twenty-five  thou- 
sand, from  every  part  of  the  world.  The  acts  of  his 
life  exhibit  a  character  as  incongruous  as  it  is  remark- 
able. If  we  can  credit  his  own  words,  and  the  testi- 
mony of  eye-witnesses,  he  was  at  the  same  time  the 
vicegerent  of  God,  and  a  tavern-keeper — a  prophet, 
and  a  base  libertine — a  minister  of  peace,  and  a  lieu- 
tenant-general— a  ruler  of  tens  of  thousands,  and  a 
slave  to  all  his  own  base  passions — a  preacher  of  right- 
eousness, and  a  profane  swearer — a  worshipper  of 
Bacchus,  mayor  of  a  city,  and  a  miserable  bar-room 
fiddler — a  judge  on  the  judicial  bench,  and  an  invader 
of  the  civil,  social,  and  moral  relations  of  men — and, 
notwithstanding  these  inconsistencies  of  character, 
there  are  not  wanting  thousands  willing  to  stake  their 
souls'  eternal  salvation  on  his  veracity." 

The  Mormon  Times  and  Seaso7is  paid  the  follow- 
ing high  tribute  to  the  virtues  of  Smith — understood 
to  have  been  written  by  his  ever-faithful  accomplice, 
Rigdon,  who  expected  to  be  acknowledged  as  his 
spiritual  successor : 

"  He  wa«  one  of  the  best  men  that  ever  lived  on 
earth.  The  work  he  has  thus  far  performed  toward 
establishing  pure  religion  and  preparing  the  way  for 
the  great  gathering  of  Israel,  in  the  short  space  of 


ITS   OEIGIN,   EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  197 

twenty  years  since  the  time  when  the  angel  of  the 
Lord  made  known  his  mission,  and  gave  him  power 
to  move  the  cause  of  Zion,*  exceeds  any  thing  of  the 
kind  on  record.  Yfithout  learning,  without  means, 
and  without  experience,  he  has  met  a  learned  world, 
a  rich  century,  a  hard-hearted,  wicked,  and  adulterous 
generation,  with  truth  that  could  not  be  resisted,  facts 
that  could  not  he  disproved,  revelations  whose  spirit 
liad  so  much  God  in  them  that  the  servants  of  the 
Lord  could  not  be  gainsayed  or  resisted,  but,  like  the 
rays  of  light  from  the  sun,  they  have  tinged  every  thing 
they  lit  upon  with  a  lustre  and  livery  which  has  ani- 
mated, quickened,  and  adorned.  The  pages  of  his 
history,  though  his  enemies  never  ceased  to  persecute 
him,  and  hunt  for  offences  against  him,  are  as  unsul- 
lied as  the  virgin  snow." 

The  temple,  which,  in  an  unfinished  state,  had 
been  in  use  for  some  length  of  time,  in  conducting  the 
religious  services,  spiritual-wife  solemnities,  and  other 
mystic  ceremonies  of  Mormonism,  was  completed  in 
the  fall  of  1844,  a  few  months  after  the  death  of  the 

*  In  this  calculation  of  ''  twenty  years,"  the  writer  dated  back  to 
the  money-digging  era,  several  years  anterior  to  the  Mormon  inven- 
tion. The  palpable  design  was  to  persist  in  the  after-thought  inven- 
tion that  the  "hidden  records"  had  been  revealed  to  Smith  in  1823, 
before  Rigdon's  mysterious  appearance  at  the  scene,  though  they 
were  not  permitted  to  be  taken  until  1827.  No  such  pretension  was 
made  until  after  Rigdon's  connection  with  the  imposture  had  become 
publicly  known.    It  is  only  a  piece  of  Mormon  cunning. 


198  MOEMONISM  : 

Smiths.  It  was  constructed  of  white  limestone,  one 
hundred  and  twenty-eight  feet  long,  by  eighty-eight 
feet  wide,  and  two  stories  or  sixty  feet  high,  with  a  tow- 
er one  hundred  feet  in  height.  Each  of  the  two  stories 
had  two  pulj^its,  to  accommodate  the  Melchisedek 
and  Aaronic  priesthoods.  There  was  a  baptismal 
font  in  the  basement,  as  authoritatively  explained, 
"  for  the  baptism  of  the  living,  for  health,  for  remis- 
sion of  sin,  and  for  the  salvation  of  the  dead,  as  was 
the  case  with  Solomon's  Temple,  and  all  temples  that 
God  commands  to  be  built."  Its  cost,  raised  by  the 
tithing  system,  and  computing  the  gratuitous  labor 
bestowed  under  "  revelation,"  was  about  a  million  of 
dollars.* 

The  feoil  of  Mormonism  had  been  fertilized  by  the 
blood  of  the  Smiths.  In  any  and  every  view  of  the 
subject,  the  murder  was  a  great  mistake  as  well  as  a 
great  crime.  A  church  founded  in  falsehood  and 
hypocrisy  has  been  strengthened,  if  not  perpetuated, 
by  its  supporting  influence.  Indeed,  it  is  rational  to 
believe  that,  but  for  the  opportunity  thus  afforded,  to 
fasten  in  enslaved,  superstitious  minds,  the  impression 
of  the  "  martyrdom "  of  their  patron  saint,  the  Mor- 
mon monstrosity  would  ere  this  have  tottered  to  its 
everlasting  fall  and  annihilation. 

The  general  consternation  having  subsided,  Mor- 
mondom  became  the  arena  of  agitation  and  contest 

*  The  temple  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  1848. 


ITS   ORIGIN,   RISE,   AND  PKOGEESS.  199 

for  the  dictatorship.  Sidney  Rigdon  very  naturally 
claimed  the  successorship  by  priority  of  inheritance, 
and  assumed  to  fulfil  its  functions.  Coequally  with 
Smith,  he  had  been  associated  with  the  origin  and  up- 
building of  the  Mormon  Church  and  hierarchy.  He 
was,  equally  with  his  deceased  accomplice,  the  "  author 
and  proprietor"  of  the  miraculously  translated  metallic 
book  forming  the  basis  of  that  power.  He  had  ever 
been  his  predecessor's  first  counsellor  and  bosom 
friend,  from  the  beginning  of  the  grand  experiment. 

Brigham  Young  was  alike  amibitious  ;  he  disputed 
the  pretensions  of  Rigdon,  and  aspired  himself  to  the 
high  position  of  "  Prophet  of  the  Lord."  The  strife 
became  rancorous  and  unrelenting.  Rigdon's  reign 
was  brief,  and  the  termination  of  his  career  inglorious. 
Young  was  president  of  the  Twelve  Apostles,  and  was 
popular  and  influential  in  the  Church.  Rigdon  lacked 
these  elements  of  success,  and  was  the  inferior  of  his 
rival  in  the  adroitness  of  demagoguism.  Young  de- 
nounced him  as  an  impostor,  and  his  revelations  as 
"emanations  from  the  devil."  This  spiritual  and 
political  warfare  eventuated  in  Rigdon's  expulsion 
from  the  Church,  and  he  was  formally  "  delivered 
over  to  the  buffetings  of  Satan,  in  the  name  of  the 
Lord.  Amen."  Young  was  unanimously  elected  to 
the  presidency  of  the  Church,  and  has  ever  since  main- 
tained his  despotic  sway. 

Finally,  Rigdon  left  the  Mormons  in  virtuous  dis- 


200 


MOEMONISM  : 


gust,  and  after  halting  awhile  at  his  former  residence 
in  Pennsylvania,  settled  down  in  his  present  passive 
mood  in  Allegany  County,  N.  Y.,  as  has  been  stated. 

William  Smith,  the  only  surviving  brother  of 
Joseph  the  prophet,  also  made  an  effort  to  assume  the 
domination  at  ^N'auvoo;  but,  as  in  Rigdon's  case, 
Young  made  short  work  with  him,  and  liis  expulsion 
was  the  consequence. 

Joseph  Smith,  third,  the  oldest  of  four  legitimate 
sons  of  the  late  prophet,  continues  to  live  with  his 
widowed  mother,  Emma  Smith,  near  Nauvoo,  in  easy 
pecuniary  circumstances.  He  claims  to  be  the  right- 
ful head  of  the  Church  by  inheritance,  but  is  power- 
less against  the  indomitable  will  and  all-pervading 
shrewdness  of  Brigham  Young.  He  is  opposed  to 
polygamy,  and  denies  the  genuineness  of  the  revela- 
tion on  that  subject  attributed  to  his  father. 

It  yAH  thus  be  observed,  tliat  Mormonism  has 
wholly  passed  from  the  direction  of  its  original  in- 
ventors and  founders  and  their  posterity,  and  become 
an  independent  and  self-reliant  institution. 

The  popular  consideration  in  behalf  of  the  "  saints," 
which  was  the  immediate  corollary  of  the  assassination 
problem,  was  brief  in  its  duration.  It  was  succeeded 
in  the  course  of  a  year  by  a  final  determination,  on 
the  part  of  the  Illinois  people,  to  drive  the  whole 
tribe  from  the  State;  and  they  were  compelled  to 
seek  a  new  home  beyond  the  borders  of  civilization. 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND    PKOGRESS.  201 

Young  and  his  privy  council  accepted  what  ap- 
peared to  be  the  popular  conclusion,  and  made  ar- 
rangements accordingly.  They  publicly  announced 
their  purpose,  and  the  following  is  among  their  ex- 
planatory declarations  to  their  followers  : 

"  We,  the  members  of  the  High  Council  of  the 
Church,  by  the  voice  of  all  her  authorities,  have 
unitedly  and  unanimously  agreed,  and  embrace  this 
opportunity  to  inform  you,  that  we  intend  t©  send 
out  into  the  Western  country  from  this  place,  some- 
time in  the  early  part  of  the  month  of  March,  a  com- 
pany of  pioneers,  consisting  mostly  of  young,  hardy 
men,  with  some  families.  These  are  destined  to  be 
furnished  with  an  ample  outfit,  taking  Avith  them  a 
printing-press,  farming  utensils  of  all  kinds,  with  mill- 
irons  and  bolting-cloths,  seeds  of  all  kinds,  grain,  etc. 

"The  object  of.  this  early  move  is  to  put  in  a 
spring  crop,  to  build  houses,  and  to  prepare  for  the 
reception  of  families,  who  will  start  as  soon  as  grass 
shall  be  sufficiently  grown  to  sustain  teams  and  stock. 
Our  pioneers  are  instructed  to  proceed  west  until  they 
find  a  good  place  to  make  a  crop,  in  some  good  valley 
in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Rocky  Mountains,  where 
they  will  infringe  upon  no  one,  and  be  not  likely  to 
be  infringed  upon.  Here  we  will  make  a  resting-place 
until  we  can  determine  upon  a  place  for  a  permanent 
location. 

"  Much  of  our  property  will  be  left  in  the  hands 


202  MOEMONISM : 

of  competent  agents  for  sale  at  a  low  rate,  for  teams, 
for  goods,  and  for  cash.  The  funds  arising  from  the 
sale  of  property  will  be  applied  to  the  removal  of 
families  from  time  to  time,  as  fast  as  consistent ;  and 
it  now  remains  to  be  proven  whether  those  of  our 
families  and  friends  who  are  necessarily  left  behind 
for  a  season,  to  obtain  an  outfit  through  the  sale  of 
property,  shall  be  mobbed,  burned,  and  driven  away 
by  forc'e. 

"  We  agreed  to  leave  the  county  for  the  sake  of 
peace,  upon  the  condition  that  no  more  vexatious 
prosecutions  be  instituted  against  us.  In  good  faith 
we  have  labored  to  fulfil  this  engagement.  Governor 
Ford  has  also  done  his  duty  to  further  our  wishes  in 
this  respect.  But  there  are  some  who  are  unwilling 
that  we  should  have  any  existence  anywhere." 

The  proscribed  sect  made  the  best  and  earliest 
practicable  preparations  for  departure,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary their  first  fleeing  company,  numbering  sixteen 
hundred  persons,  crossed  the  Mississippi  upon  the  ice 
with  ox-teams,  toward  their  western  destination.  The 
increasing  exasperation  of  the  Illinois  people,  and  the 
consequent  dangers  of  the  situation,  had  led  to  a 
modification  of  the  original  plan  of  longer  delay. 


ITS   OEIGIN,   RISE,   AND   PKOGEESS.  203 


CHAPTER  XIV. 

Exodus  from  Illinois — Bold  Adventure  of  Brigham  Young — Suffer- 
ings on  the  Plains — Mexican  War  and  Mormon  Battalion — Ar- 
rival at  Salt  Lake — State  of  Deseret  and  Territory  of  Utah- 
Young  declared  "Prophet  of  the  Lord" — Corner-stone  of  the 
new  Temple. 

Beigham  Youn^g  directed  the  grand  flight  of  the 
Mormons  to  an  unexplored  and  unexpected  region 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains.  Their  point  of  des- 
tination was  in  the  deserts  of  California,  then  in 
Mexico,  now  in  the  United  States  Territory  of  Utah. 
Bands  of  young  men  as  pioneers  had  j^receded  the 
general  movement,  for  the  purpose  of  exploring  the 
route  and  providing  the  supplies  and  accommodations 
necessary  for  the  wending  caravans. 

The  emigrant  trains,  commencing  their  journey  in 
February,  1846,  and  continuing  their  movements  from 
Nauvoo  until  August  of  the  same  year,  proceeded  to 
a  resting-place  that  had  been  selected  for  them  upon 
the  unoccupied  prairies  near  Council  Bluffs,  where 
they  mostly   dwelt   in    tents   during  theii'  sojourn. 


204:  MOEMONISM  I 

Great  suffering  was  experienced  on  the  route,  from 
fatigue,  privation,  and  sickness ;  and  here  the  sick- 
ness continued  with  even  greater  severity,  being  ag- 
gravated by  the  cholera,  which  raged  with  appalling 
mortality.  And  again  complaints  were  heard  of  dep- 
redations upon  the  property  of  the  scattering  settlers. 
Roaming  bands  of  Mormons  were  accused  of  stealing 
cattle  from  the  grazing  domains ;  and  in  this  partic- 
ular probably  their  Missouri  history  was  prevented 
from  repeating  itself  only  by  the  sparseness  of  the 
population  who  complained  of  these  aggressions. 

The  once  flourishing  Mormon  city  in  Illinois,  with 
its  magnificent  temple,  luxurious  Nauvoo  House, 
spiritual- wife  a^ agarics,  polygamous  harems,  diver- 
sified Latter-Day-Saint  institutions,  and  their  super- 
stitious devotees,  was  now  left  nearly  a  depopulated 
desert  waste. 

The  news  of  the  Mexican  war  met  the  emigrants 
at  their  resting-place  near  Council  Bluffs.  There  was 
a  call  for  volunteers.  Young  and  his  coadjutors  had 
apprehended  ultimate  conflict  with  the  Mexican  au- 
thorities, and  deemed  it  essential  to  be  on  good  terms 
with  the  United  States.  Quick  to  perceiA^e  his  oppor- 
tunity, the  great  leader  sent  an  agent  to  Washington 
with  the  tender  of  a  volunteer  battalion  to  the  Gov- 
ernment. It  was  accepted,  and  the  men  were  speedily 
raised  and  sent  to  the  field.  Young  received  from  the 
Government  twenty  thousand  dollars  for  this  patriotic 


ITS    OSIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  205 

demonstration,  a  large  proportion  of  winch  sum  was 
appropriated  for  liis  own  private  use  and  toward  the 
material  aid  required  in  carrying  forward  his  colonial 
enterprise.  Accompanied  by  a  party  of  devoted,  hardy 
pioneers,  with  some  of  his  elders,  he  then  went  west- 
ward upon  an  exploring  expedition,  to  select  a  site 
for  their  future  Zion,  which  they  located  in  Great  Salt 
Lake  valley,  where  a  preliminary  survey  was  made 
for  a  city.  A  portion  of  their  party  returned  to  the 
temporary  encampment  in  Iowa,  to  recommence  the 
forward  movement,  the  residue  remaining  to  proceed 
with  the  preparatory  improvements  at  the  selected 
site. 

The  first  companies  of  the  emigrants,  numbering 
about  four  thousand,  arrived  in  the  valley  in  July, 
1847.  The  Indians  received  these  people  with  hos- 
pitality. Indeed,  no  unfriendly  demonstrations  had 
been  experienced  from  the  savage  tribes  at  any  time 
during  the  journey.  The  Mormons  had  succeeded 
in  favorably  impressing  them  with  respect  to  their 
friendly  sentiments  and  spiritual  endowments. 

This  grand  adventure  of  Young  and  his  followers, 
unprecedented  for  its  boldness  and  success  since  the 
journeyings  of  their  ancient  "ancestors"  from  Je- 
rusalem, is  graphically  described  in  Dixon's  New 
America : 

"  Young  advised  his  followers  to  yield  their  prize, 
to  quit  the  world  in  which  they  had  found  no  peace, 


206  MOEMONISM  : 

and  set  up  their  tabernacles  in  one  of  those  distant 
wilds  in  the  far  West  which  were  then  trodden  by- 
no  feet  of  men,  except  those  of  a  few  red  Indian 
tribes,  Utes,  Pawkes,  and  Shoshones,  in  what  was 
called  the  American  Desert,  and  was  considered  by 
everybody  as  no  man's  land.  It  was  a  bold  device. 
Beyond  the  western  prairies,  beyond  the  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, lay  a  howling  wilderness  of  salt  and  stones,  a 
property  which  no  white  man  had  yet  been  greedy 
enough  to  claim.  Some  pope,  in  the  middle  ages,  had 
bestowed  it  on  the  crown  of  Spain,  from  which  it  had 
fallen,  as  a  paper  waste,  to  the  Mexican  rej^ublic  ;  but 
neither  Spaniard  nor  Mexican  had  ever  gone  up  north 
into  the  land  to  possess  it.  In  the  centre  of  this  howl- 
ing  wilderness  lay  a  Dead  Sea,  not  less  terrible  than 
Bahr  Lout,  the  Sea  of  Lot.  One-fourth  of  its  water 
was  known  to  be  solid  salt.  The  creeks  which  ran 
into  it  were  said  to  be  putrid ;  the  wells  around  it 
were  known  to  be  bitter ;  and  the  shores  for  many 

miles  were  crusted  white  with  saleratus 

"  Trappers,  who  had  looked  down  on  the  salt  val- 
ley from  peaks  and  passes  in  the  Wasatch  Mountains, 
pictured  it  as  a  region  without  life,  without  a  green 
slope,  even  without  streams  and  springs.  The  wells 
were  said  to  be  salt,  as  the  fields  were  salt.  Finding 
no  wood  and  scarcely  any  fresh  water  in  that  region, 
these  explorers  had  set  their  seal  upon  this  great 
American  Desert  as  a  waste  unfit  for  the  dwelling 


ITS   OEIGIK,   EISE,   AND   PEOGEESS.  207 

and  incapable  of  the  sustenance  of  civilized  men. 
But  Young  thought  otherwise.  He  knew  that  where 
the  '  saint '  had  struck  his  spade  into  the  ground— at 
Kirtland  in  Ohio,  at  Independence  in  Missouri,  at 
Nauvoo  in  Illinois — he  had  been  always  blessed  with 
a  plentiful  crop  ;  and  the  new  Mormon  seer  had  faith 
in  the  same  strong  sinews,  in  the  same  rough  hands, 
in  the  same  keen  will,  being  able  to  draw  harvests  of 
grain  from  the  desolate  valley  of  Salt  Lake.     .     .     . 

"Young  knew  that  in  crossing  the  great  plains 
and  in  climbing  the  great  ranges  which  are  loosely 
clubbed  together  under  the  name  of  Rocky  Moun- 
tains, the  privations  of  his  people  would  be  sharp ; 
but  to  his  practical  eye  these  sufferings  of  the  flesh 
appeared  to  be  such  as  brave  men  could  be  trained 
by  example  to  bear  and  not  die.  Food  and  seed 
might  be  carried  in  their  light  wagons,  and  a  little 
malt  whiskey  would  correct  the  alkali  in  the  bitter 
creeks 

"  Pressed  upon  by  their  foes,  they  marched  away 
from  ISTauvoo,  even  while  the  winter  was  yet  hard 
upon  them,  crossing  the  Mississippi  upon  the  ice,  and 
started  on  a  journey  of  fifteen  hundred  miles  through 
a  country  without  a  road,  without  a  bridge,  without  a 
village,  without  an  inn,  without  wells,  cattle,  pastures, 
or  cultivated  land." 

Young  had  not  yet  been  accepted  by  the  Church 
as  "  prophet,  seer,  and  revelator,"  in  the  full  celestial 


208  MORMONISM  : 

sense  that  had  been  recognized  in  the  case  of  the 
martyr  Smith.  His  aj^pointment  at  Nauvoo  extended 
only  to  the  general  successorship  as  first  president  in 
the  ruling  power  of  the  hierarchy.  He  felt  the  em- 
barrassment of  his  semi-prophetism.  His  "visions," 
as  heavenly  behests,  were  received  with  divided  opin- 
ions ;  for  he  feared  to  attempt  the  enforcement  of 
"  revelations  "  or  commands.  Some  murmurings  had 
been  heard  relative  to  battalion-money  questions,  and 
these  may  have  added  to  the  delicacy  of  his  position. 
He  foresaw  the  dangers  impending  for  the  want  of 
absolutism.  As  soon  as  reorganization  was  secured, 
he  called  a  general  meeting  of  the  Church  to  consider 
the  matter.  Ascending  the  platform,  he  made  solemn 
professions  of  "  communion  with  the  spirit  of  Prophet 
Joseph,"  at  the  same  time  going  through  with  a  series 
of  impressive  mimicries  of  his  predecessor,  in  his  pe- 
culiar style  of  theatric  adroitness.  The  performance 
proved  completely  convincing  to  his  audience.  Ever 
since  this  successful  experiment  upon  the  superstitious 
elements  of  Mormondom,  the  pervading  belief  has 
been  that  the  mantle  of  Joseph  has  fallen  upon  Brig- 
ham.  By  unanimous  vote  he  was  declared  to  be  the 
"  Prophet  of  the  Lord  ; "  and  his  despotic  authority 
as  ruler  of  the  "  Church  of  Latter-Day  Saints  of  Jesus 
Christ  in  all  the  world,"  is  undisputed  by  adhering 
Mormons.  He  appointed  Heber  C,  Kimball  and  Wil- 
liam Richards  as  his  privy  council,  and  these,  with 


209 

himself,  constituted  the  trio  called  the  "  First  Presi- 
dency." 

Among  the  events  of  the  Mexican  War  was  the 
cession  of  California  to  the  United  States  in  1848. 
Young,  by  superficial  survey  in  1849,  established  the 
State  of  Deseret,  embracing  a  very  large  and  scarcely 
defined  domain ;  and  Utah  Territory  was  organized 
by  act  of  Congress  in  1850.  The  Mormon  Deseret 
government  was  put  in  operation  through  the  me- 
dium of  a  convention  assembled  under  a  proclamation 
of  Young,  about  the  time  of  the  territorial  action  at 
Washington,  and  was  constituted  in  the  following 
manner :  Brigham  Young,  Governor ;  Heber  C.  Kim- 
ball, Lieutenant-Governor ;  Daniel  H.  Wells,  Chief 
Justice ;  together  with  a  Legislative  Council,  which 
enacted  a  code  of  State  laws.  Young  also  received 
the  United  States  appointment  of  territorial  governor 
for  Utah ;  and  a  Legislature  for  the  Territory  and  a 
delegate  to  Congress  were  elected.  The  population 
of  the  Territory  was  composed  almost  wholly  of  Mor- 
mons and  Indians,  and  the  personal  constitution  of 
these  preliminary  governmental  organizations  could 
scarcely  have  been  different. 

In  July,  1851,  a  full  complement  of  Federal  officers 
to  fill  unsupplied  vacancies  in  Utah  Territory,  appoint- 
ed at  Washington,  arrived  and  entered  upon  their  re- 
spective official  duties.  Brigham  Young  and  Heber 
C.  Kimball  were  continued  as  Governor  and  Lieu- 


210  MOEMONISM  : 

tenant-Governor,  and  their  colleagues,  were  Lemuel  C. 
Brandenburg,  Chief  Justice ;  Perry  E.  Brochus  and 
Zerubbabel  Snow,  Associate  Justices ;  Seth  M.  Blair 
Attorney-General ;  and  B.  D.  Harris,  Secretary. 

Church  and  municipal  affairs  having  become  in  a 
measure  systematized,  Governor  Young  issued  the  fol- 
lowing "  proclamation  for  a  day  of  praise  and  thanks- 
giving," dated  December  19,  1851  : 

"  It  having  pleased  the  Father  of  all  good  to  make 
known  his  mind  and  will  to  the  children  of  men  in 
these  last  days,  and  through  the  administration  of 
his  angels  to  restore  the  holy  priesthood  unto  the  sons 
of  Adam,  by  which  the  gospel  of  his  Son  has  been 
proclaimed,  and  the  ordinances  of  life  and  salvation 
are  administered;  and  through  which  medium  the 
Holy  Ghost  has  been  communicated  to  believing, 
willing,  and  honest  minds ;  causing  faith,  wisdom, 
and  intelligence  to  spring  up  in  the  hearts  of  men, 
and  influencing  them  to  flow  together  from  the  four 
quarters  of  the  earth  to  a  land  of  peace  and  health, 
rich  in  mineral  and  vegetable  resources,  reserved  of 
old  in  the  councils  of  eternity  for  the  purposes  to 
which  it  is  now  appropriated  ;  a  land  choice  above  all 
other  lands ;  far  removed  from  the  strifes,  contentions, 
divisions,  moral  and  physical  commotions,  that  are 
disturbing  the  peace  of  the  nations  and  kingdoms  of 
the  earth — 

"I,  Brigham  Young,  governor  of  the  Territory 


ITS   OEIGm,    RISE,   AUB   PEOGEESS.  211 

aforesaid,  in  response  to  the  time-honored  custom  of 
our  fathers  at  Plymouth  Rock,  by  the  Governors  of 
the  several  States  and  Territories,  and  with  a  heart 
filled  with  humiliation  and  gratitude  to  the  Fountain 
of  all  good  for  his  multiplied  munificence  to  his  chil- 
dren, have  felt  desirous  to,  and  do  proclaim  Thursday, 
the  first  day  of  January,  eighteen  hundred  and  fifty- 
two,  a  day  of  Praise  and  Thanksgiving  for  the  citi- 
zens of  this  our  peaceful  Territory,  in  honor  of  the 
God  of  Abraham,  who  has  preserved  his  children  amid 
all  the  vicissitudes  they  have  been  called  to  pass  ;  for 
his  tender  mercies  in  preserving  the  nation  imdivided 
in  which  we  live ;  for  causing  the  Gospel  of  his  king- 
dom to  spread  and  take  root  upon  the  earth,  beyond 
the  power  of  men  and  demons  to  destroy ;  and  that 
he  has  promised  a  day  of  universal  joy  and  rejoicing 
to  all  the  inhabitants  who  shall  remain  when  the  earth 
shall  have  been  purified  by  fire,  and  rest  in  peace. 

*'  And  I  recommend  to  all  good  citizens  of  Utah, 
that  they  abstain  from  every  thing  which  is  calculated 
to  mar  or  grieve  the  Spirit  of  their  heavenly  Father 
on  that  day ;  that  they  rise  early  in  the  morning  of 
the  first  day  of  the  new  year,  and  wash  their  bodies 
with  pure  water ;  that  all  men  attend  to  their  flocks 
and  herds  with  carefulness,  and  see  that  no  creature 
in  their  charge  is  hungry,  thirsty,  or  cold  ;  while  the 
women  are  preparing  the  best  of  food  for  their  house- 
holds, and  their  children  ready  to  receive  it  in  clean- 


212  MORMONISM  : 

liness  and  cheerfulness ;  then  let  the  head  of  each 
family,  with  his  family,  bow  down  upon  his  knees  be- 
fore the  God  of  Israel,  and  acknowledge  all  his  sins, 
and  the  sins  of  his  household  ;  call  upon  the  Father, 
in  the  name  of  Jesus,  for  every  blessing  that  he  desires 
for  himself,  his  kindred,  the  Israel  of  God,  the  universe 
of  man ;  j^raying  with  full  purpose  of  heart  and  united 
faith  that  the  union  of  the  United  States  may  be  pre- 
served inviolate  against  all  the  devices  of  wicked  men, 
until  truth  shall  reign  triumphant,  and  the  glory  of 
Jehovah  shall  fill  the  earth.  Then,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus,  ask  the  Father  to  bless  your  food  ;  and  when 
you  have  filled  the  plates  of  your  household,  partake 
with  them  with  rejoicing  and  thanksgiving ;  and  if 
you  feel  to  make  merry  in  your  hearts,  sing  a  song 
of  thanksgiving  ;  and  lift  up  your  hearts  continually, 
in  peace  and  acknoAvledgment  of  the  unbounded  mer- 
cies you  are  momentarily  receiving 

"  I  further  request,  that  when  the  day  has  been 
spent  in  doing  good,  in  dealing  your  bread,  your  but- 
ter, your  beef  and  your  pork,  your  turkeys,  your  mo- 
lasses, and  the  choicest  of  all  the  products  of  the  val- 
leys of  the  mountains,  at  your  command,  to  the  poor; 
that  you  end  the  day  in  the  same  order,  and  on  the 
same  principle  that  you  commenced  it ;  that  you  eat 
your  supper  with  singleness  of  heart,  as  unto  the 
Lord,  after  praise  and  thanksgiving,  and  songs  of  re- 
joicing ;  remembering  that  you  cannot  be  filled  with 


ITS   OEIGm,   RISE  J   AND   PEOGEESS.  213 

the  Holy  Spirit,  and  be  preparing  for  celestial  glory, 
while  the  meanest  menial  under  your  charge  or  con- 
trol is  in  want  of  the  smallest  thing  which  God  has 
given  you  power  to  supply ;  remembering  that  it  is 
dependent  on  you  for  its  comforts,  as  you  are  depend- 
ent on  your  God  for  your  constant  support. 

"  Retire  to  your  beds  early,  that  you  may  be  re- 
freshed, and  rise  early  again,  and  so  continue  until 
times  and  seasons  are  changed  ;  or  finally,  I  say  unto 
you,  let  the  same  process  be  continued  from  day  to 
day,  until  you  arrive  unto  one  of  the  days  of  Kolob 
[where  a  day  is  one  thousand  of  our  years],  the  planet 
nearest  to  the  habitation  of  the  Eternal  Father  ;  and 
if  you  do  not  find  peace  and  rest  to  your  souls  by  that 
time,  in  the  practice  of  these  things,  and  no  one  else 
shall  present  himself  to  offer  you  better  counsel,  I  will 
be  there,  and  knowing  more,  will  tell  you  what  you 
ought  to  do  next." 

How  far  the  expressions  of  loyalty  to  the  Federal 
Union  contained  in  the  proclamation  are  to  be  re- 
ceived as  having  been  sincere  and  honest  at  the  time, 
is  a  question  to  be  judged  of  in  the  light  of  the  sub- 
sequent history  of  its  author  and  of  transpiring 
events. 

Large  accessions  of  emigrants  sent  forward  by  the 
foreign  missionaries  who  had  been  selected  from  the 
ablest  men  of  the  sect,  rapidly  increased  the  Mormon 
numbers,  in  City  and  Territory.     Many  of  these  were 


214:  MOEMONISM  '. 

farmers  settling  upon  the  free  lands  outside  of  the 
town.  In  1854,  the  total  number  of  converts  in  the 
valley  and  in  all  parts  of  the  world,  was  estimated  at 
half  a  million.  At  Salt  Lake  and  in  Deseret  there 
was  claimed  to  be  forty  thousand — probably  an  over- 
estimate, for  the  census  showed  only  forty  thousand 
two  hundred  and  seventy-three  total  population  in 
1860. 

Young  had  sent  out  an  address  to  be  distributed 
to  the  "saints"  from  all  the  Church  and  missionary 
stations,  an  extract  from  which  will  show  the  method 
and  extent  of  the  plan  pursued  : 

"  Come  immediately,  and  prepare  to  go  West, 
bringing  with  you  all  kinds  of  choice  seeds  of  grain, 
vegetables,  fruits,  shrubbery,  trees,  and  vines — every 
thing  that  will  please  the  eye,  gladden  the  heart,  or 
cheer  the  soul  of  man,  that  grows  upon  the  face  of 
the  whole  earth ;  also  the  best  stock  of  beast,  bird, 
and  fowl  of  every  kind  ;  also  the  best  tools  of  every 
description,  and  machinery  for  spinning  or  weaving, 
and  dressing  cotton,  wool,  flax,  and  silk,  or  models 
and  descriptions  of  the  same,  by  which  they  can  con- 
struct them,  and  the  same  in  relation  to  all  kinds  of 
farming  utensils  and  husbandry,  such  as  corn-shellers, 
grain  threshers  and  cleaners,  smut-machines,  mills,  and 
every  implement  and  article  within  their  knowledge 
that  shall  tend  to  promote  the  comfort,  health,  happi- 
ness, or  prosperity  of  any  people. 


ITS    OEIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  215 

"It  is  very  desirable  that  all  the  saints  should 
improve  every  opportunity  of  securing  at  least  a  copy 
of  every  valuable  treatise  on  education — every  book, 
map,  chart,  or  diagram  that  may  contain  interesting, 
useful,  and  attractive  matter,  to  gain  the  attention  of 
children,  and  cause  them  to  love  to  read ;  and  also 
every  historical,  mathematical,  philosophical,  geo- 
graphical, geological,  astronomical,  scientific,  prac- 
tical, and  all  other  variety  of  useful  and  interesting 
writings,  maps,  etc.,  to  present  to  the  general  Church 
recorder  when  they  shall  arrive  at  their  destination, 
from  which  important  and  interesting  matter  may  be 
gleaned  to  compile  the  most  valuable  works  on  every 
science  and  subject,  for  the  benefit  of  the  risiug  gen- 
eration. 

"  Let  all  saints  who  love  God  more  than  their 
own  dear  selves — and  none  else  are  saints — gather, 
without  delay,  to  the  place  appointed,  bringing  their 
gold,  their  silver,  their  copper,  their  zinc,  their  tin, 
and  brass,  and  choice  steel,  and  ivory,  and  precious 
stones,  their  curiosities  of  science,  of  art,  of  nature, 
and  every  thing  in  their  possession  or  within  their 
reach,  to  build  in  strength  and  stability,  to  beautify, 
to  adorn,  to  embellish,  to  delight,  and  to  cast  a  fra- 
•  grance  over  the  house  of  the  Lord ;  with  sweet  instru- 
ments of  music  and  melody,  and  songs,  and  fragrance, 
and  sweet  odors,  and  beautiful  colors,  whether  it  be 
in  precious  jewels,  or  minerals,  or  choice  ores,  or  in 


216  MOEMOiasM : 

wisdom  and  knowledge,  or  understanding,  manifested 
in  carved  work,  or  curious  workmanship  of  the  box, 
the  fir,  and  pine  tree,  or  any  thing  that  ever  was,  or 
is,  or  is  to  be,  for  the  exaltation,  glory,  honor,  and 
salvation  of  the  living  and  the  dead  for  time  and 
eternity. 

"  The  kingdom  of  God  consists  in  correct  princi- 
ples, and  it  mattereth  not  what  a  man's  religious  faith 
is — whether  he  be  a  Presbyterian,  or  a  Methodist, 
or  a  Baptist,  or  a  Latter-Day  Saint,  or  'Mormon,'  or 
a  Campbellite,  or  a  Catholic,  or  Episcopalian,  or  Mo- 
hammedan, or  even  Pagan,  or  any  thing  else.  If  he 
will  bow  the  knee,  and  with  his  tongue  confess  that 
Jesus  is  the  Christ,  and  will  support  good  and  whole- 
some laws  for  the  regulation  of  society,  we  hail  him 
as  a  brother,  and  will  stand  by  him  as  he  stands  by  us 
in  these  things  ;  for  every  man's  faith  is  a  matter  be- 
tw^een  his  own  soul  and  his  God  alone." 

It  is  easy  to  comprehend  the  attractiveness  of  such 
an  artful  invitation  to  the  thousands  of  ignorant  and 
superstitious  people  addressed  in  the  Old  World,  w^ho 
seek  the  betterment  of  their  temporal  and  spiritual 
condition  in  the  "promised  land"  revealed  to  the 
Latter-Day  Saints  in  America.  These  and  kindred 
illusory  appeals  are  turned  to  efficient  account  in  the 
Mormon  cause  by  the  missionaries  sent  abroad  in  that 
work.  In  a  tract  published  in  England  in  1851,  by 
Orson  Pratt,  one  of  those  emissaries  designed  to  es- 


ITS    OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  217 

tablish  the  "  divine  authenticity  of  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon," the  author  proclaimed  the  doctrine  of  modern 
miracles,  and  presented  the  claims  of  the  ncAV  reve- 
lation in  glowing  terms.  (Pratt  has  recently  been 
expelled  from  the  Mormon  Church  at  Salt  Lake  by 
Prophet  Young.)  The  following  passage  will  suffice 
to  show  the  winning  character  of  this  and  other  Mor- 
mon publications  in  foreign  countries  : 

"  The  Latter-Day  Saints  know  that  Joseph  Smith 
was  a  true  prophet,  and  that  the  Book  of  Mormon  is  a 
divine  revelation,  because  God  has  confirmed  the  same 
unto  them  by  the  miraculous  manifestations  of  his 
power.  There  are  now  about  six  hundred  branches 
of  the  Church  of  Christ  in  the  British  Islands,  consist- 
ing of  upward  of  thirty  thousand  believers,  and  be- 
tween three  and  four  thousand  elders  and  priests. 
Now,  there  is  scarcely  a  branch  of  the  saints  among 
this  nation  but  have  been  blessed,  more  or  less,  with 
the  miraculous  signs  and  gifts  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  by 
which  they  have  been  confirmed,  and  know,  of  a 
surety,  that  this  is  the  Church  of  Christ.  They  know 
that  the  blind  see,  the  lame  walk,  the  deaf  hear,  the 
dumb  speak,  that  lepers  are  cleansed,  that  bones  are 
set,  that  the  cholera  is  rebuked,  and  that  the  most 
virulent  diseases  give  way,  through  faith  in  the  name 
of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  power  of  his  gospel.  These 
are  not  some  isolated  cases  that  occasionally  take 
place,  or  that  are  rather  doubtful  in  their  nature,  or 
10 


218  MOEMONISM  : 

that  have  transpired  a  long  time  ago,  or  in  some  dis- 
tant country ;  but  they  are  taking  place  at  the  present 
period,  every  week  furnishing  scores  of  instances  in  all 
parts  of  this  land  ;  many  of  the  sick  out  of  the  Church 
have,  through  the  laying  on  of  the  hands  of  the  ser- 
vants of  God,  been  healed." 

Dixon  gives  the  following  description  of  the  man- 
ner in  which  the  immigrants  are  welcomed  on  their 
arrival  at  the  Mormon  capital,  being  a  brief  report  of 
a  "  sermon  "  addressed  to  them  by  Young  : 

"  Brothers  and  sisters  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ, 
you  have  been  chosen  from  the  world  by  God,  and 
sent  through  his  grace  into  this  valley  of  the  moun- 
tains, to  help  in  building  up  his  kingdom.  You  are 
faint  and  weary  from  your  march.  Rest,  then,  for  a 
day,  for  a  second  day,  should  you  need  it ;  then  rise 
up  and  see  how  you  w^ill  live.  Don't  bother  your- 
selves about  your  religious  duties  ;  you  have  been 
chosen  for  this  work,  and  God  will  take  care  of  you 
in  it.  Be  of  good  cheer.  Look  about  this  valley  into 
which  you  have  been  called.  Your  first  duty  is  to 
learn  how  to  grow  a  cabbage,  and  along  with  this 
cabbage  an  onion,  a  tomato,  a  sweet  potato ;  then 
how  to  feed  a  pig,  to  build  a  house,  to  plant  a  garden, 
to  rear  cattle,  and  to  bake  bread ;  in  one  word,  your 
first  duty  is  to  live.  The  next  duty— for  those  who, 
being  Danes,  French,  and  Swiss,  cannot  speak  it  now 
—is  to  learn  English ;  the  language  of  God,  the  Ian- 


ITS    OEIGm,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  219 

guage  of  the  Book  of  Mormon,  the  language  of  these 
latter  days.  These  things  you  must  do  first ;  the 
rest  will  be  added  to  you  in  proper  season.  God 
bless  you  ;  and  the  peace  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  be 
with  you." 

The  Mormons  have  no  negroes  in  their  Church. 
They  regard  that  race  as  the  descendants  of  Cain,  the 
first  murderer,  and  the  color  of  their  skin  as  a  curse 
put  upon  them  by  God.  Hence  all  "  Cainites "  are 
excluded  from  their  fellowship.  Prophet  Smith  had 
in  a  single  instance  admitted  one  at  Nauvoo,  but  the 
act  was  generally  disapproved  by  the  elders  ;  though 
it  was  understood  that  the  tithing  exchequer  was  lib- 
erally benefited  by  the  case,  and  perhaps  for  that  rea- 
son its  discussion  soon  ceased.  The  Cainite  did  not 
accompany  the  emigrants  to  Salt  Lake,  nor  was  his 
long  continuance  in  Mormondom  known  to  outside 
people.  Furthermore,  Young  has  been  th^  declared 
advocate  of  negro  slavery.  In  his  first  message  to 
the  Utah  Legislature,  his  views  upon  this  question 
were  thus  indicated : 

"  While  servitude  may  and  should  exist,  and  that 
too  upon  those  who  are  naturally  designed  to  occupy 
the  position  of  servant  of  servants,  yet  we  should  not 
fall  into  the  other  extreme  and  make  them  as  beasts 
of  the  field,  regarding  not  the  humanity  that  is  in  the 
colored  race ;  nor  elevating  them,  as  some  seem  dis- 
posed, to  an  equality  with  those  whom  nature  and  na- 


220  MORMONISM : 


ture's  God  has  indicated  to  be  their  masters,  their  su- 
periors." 

Probably  the  ancient  Mormons  of  the  times  of 
Nephi  had  no  knowledge  of  the  "  Cainites,"  for  the 
records  "hid  np"  by  them,  from  the  translations  of 
which  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  obtained  the  Book  of  Mor- 
mon, as  pretended,  furnish  this  text  against  slavery : 

'"  But  Ammon  said  unto  him.  It  is  against  the  law 
of  our  brethren,  which  was  established  by  my  father, 
that  there  should  be  any  slaves  among  them." 

Perhaps  consistency,  as  between  tha  professions 
and  practices  of  the  Mormon  sect  on  this  or  any  other 
question,  should  not  be  expected. 

The  Latter-Day  Saints  are  modified  millennarians. 
It  is  a  theory  interwoven  with  their  belief,  that  the 
latter  days  are  now  passing.  This  is  the  burden  of 
their  preaching  and  revelations,  and  it  is  the  main- 
spring of  their  proselyting  machinery.  All  the 
original  followers  of  Smith  at  Palmyra  and  Man- 
chester, after  the  "  Golden  Bible "  invention  super- 
seded the  money-digging  malversations,  were  avow- 
edly influenced  in  their  conversion  to  the  "  Mormon  " 
gospel,  more  by  this  idea  than  any  other  receiving 
their  serious  consideration.  And  at  the  present  time, 
in  Utah  and  throughout  the  world,  the  faith  of  the 
"  saints  "  is  understood  to  be  peculiarly  strengthened 
by  the  revelation  of  Smith  at  Kirtland  in  1S33,  to 
which  they  are  pointed  by  the  elders  : 


ITS   ORIGIN,   EISE,   AKD   PEOGKESS.  221 

"  And  now  I  am  prepared  to  say,  by  tlie  autliority 
of  Jesus  Cbrist,  that  not  many  years  shall  pass  away 
before  the  United  States  shall  present  such  a  scene  of 
bloodshed  as  has  not  a  parallel  in  the  history  of  our 
nation ;  pestilence,  hail,  famine,  and  earthquakes,  will 
sweep  the  wicked  of  this  generation  from  off  the  face 
of  the  land,  to  open  and  prepare  the  way  for  the  re- 
turn of  the  lost  tribes  of  Israel  from  the  north  coun- 
try. Therefore  I  declare  unto  you  the  warning  which 
the  Lord  has  commanded  me  to  declare  unto  this  gen- 
eration, remembering  that  the  eyes  of  my  Maker  are 
upon  me,  and  that  to  him  I  am  accountable  for  every 
word  I  say,  wishing  nothing  worse  to  my  fellow-men 
than  their  eternal  salvation  ;  therefore,  '  fear  God  and 
give  glory  to  him,  for  the  hour  of  his  Judgment  is 
comeJ^  Repent  ye,  repent  ye,  and  embrace  the  ever- 
lasting covenant,  and  flee  to  Zion  before  the  overflow- 
ing scourge  overtake  you,  for  there  are  those  now  liv- 
ing upon  the  earth  whose  eyes  shall  not  be  closed  in 
death  until  they  see  all  these  things  which  I  have 
spoken  fulfilled." 

The  believers,  thinking  they  have  seen  fulfilled  the 
first  part  of  the  prophecy  of  their  martyr  saint,  are 
continually  looking  with  undoubting  faith  for  the 
verification  of  the  remaining  portion  of  it.  Every- 
where, Young's  disciples  believe  that  Mormonism  is 
the  true  medium  of  salvation,  and  hence  are  rallying 
to  the  new  Jerusalem  in  Utah  as  their  only  refuge. 


222  MOEMONISM  : 

The  corner-stone  of  the  temple  at  Salt  Lake  City 
was  laid  in  February,  1853.  There  were  about  two 
thousand  people  in  attendance,  and  the  ceremonies 
were  in  the  highest  style  of  Mormon  grandeur.  Two 
brass  bands  participated  in  the  exercises.  Governor 
Young  made  the  leading  address  on  the  occasion,  the 
substance  of  which,  as  published,  may  be  thus  briefly 
stated :  He  said  the  "  saints "  were  about  to  make 
their  third  attemj)t  to  build  a  temple  to  the  Lord; 
that  they  had  been  twice  frustrated  in  this  duty  by 
the  powers  of  the  devil,  acting  through  the  instru- 
mentality of  unrej)entant  gentiles,  or  at  least  that  they 
had  been  only  for  a  short  season  permitted  to  enjoy 
the  one  they  had  built  at  Nauvoo ;  that  they  were 
commanded  to  persevere,  and  that  God  had  promised 
them  his  favor  and  protection  when  all  their  trans- 
gressions should  be  forgiven.  He  declared  that  the 
very  ground  where  he  stood  had  been  revealed  to  him 
for  seven  years  past  as  the  spot  where  the  temple 
should  stand,  and  he  intimated  that  its  building 
might  cost  a  million  of  dollars.  He  asked  his  fol- 
lowers to  pay  their  tithes  with  cheerful  promj^titude, 
promising  "  God's  blessing  to  them  that  do  his  will." 

This  oration  was  followed  by  a  prayer  by  Elder 
Kimball,  and  by  music  from  the  baud  and  vocalists. 
The  Governor  and  the  Twelve  Apostles  each  threw  up 
a  few  shovelfuls  of  earth,  and  a  benediction  ended 
the  ceremony.     The  temple  is  planned  for  an  immense 


ITS    ORIGm,    EISE,    AND    PEOGEESS.  223 

building,  calculated  to  seat  eighteen  thousand  people. 
Its  construction  has  not  been  hastened  forward  since 
the  laying  of  the  foundation  walls.  Young  seems 
entirely  content  wji^h  the  slow  progress  of  the  work, 
since  it  is  the  continual  source  of  enriching  revenues 
by  the  operation  of  the  tithing  system  of  the  scheming 
beneficiary. 


224:  MORMONISM : 


CHAPTER  XV. 

Political  and  Military — Recusancy  of  Young — He  circumvents  the 
Enemy — Clandestine  Mormonism — Missionary  Success — Statis- 
tics of  the  Saints — Utah,  its  Lakes  and  its  City. 

By  the  assumption  of  prerogatives  not  assented 
to  by  the  Federal  authorities  of  the  Territory,  Gov- 
ernor Young  became  involved  in  political  contro- 
versies threatening  the  general  peace.  Among  other 
abuses  alleged,  he  was  charged  with  misapplying  the 
public  moneys  intrusted  to  his  hands.  The  local 
legislative  power,  by  the  Mormon  preponderance  of 
the  popular  vote,  was  under  his  dictation  and  control. 
Twenty  thousand  dollars  was  appropriated  by  Con- 
gress and  confided  to  him  for  expenditure  in  the  erec- 
tion of  public  buildings,  more  than  one-half  of  which 
sum  he  was  charged  with  putting  directly  into  his 
own  pocket,  while  he  attempted  to  saddle  upon  the 
Government  second-hand  buildings  worth  less  than  the 
other  half,  but  estimated  by  him  at  the  price  of  the 
entire  appropriation.     Various  other  derelictions  were 


ITS    OKIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PKOGEESS.  225 

alleged  against  the  usurper ;  questions  of  jurisdiction 
arose;  the  difficulties  multiplied  from  time  to  time;- 
and  the  controversy  between  the  Governor  and  his 
associate  Territorial  officers  became  warlike  in  its 
character.  Colonel  Steptoe  arrived  at  the  Mormon 
capital  with  a  force  of  three  hundred  men,  ready  to 
enforce  obedience  to  law.  The  contumacious  Gov- 
ernor was  prepared  to  meet  this  force  with  his  Nauvoo 
Legion,  should  such  culmination  become  necessary. 
Very  soon  he  was  removed  from  office  by  the  Presi- 
dent, and  another  appointment  made  to  supersede 
him ;  but  the  new  appointee  declined  the  office,  and 
Governor  Young  held  over.  In  the  mean  time,  he 
had  plied  his  "saintly"  arts  of  diplomacy  Avith  the 
belligerent  commandant  and  his  cooperating  civil 
officers.  The  ultimatum  was,  that  most  of  these 
Federal  officers  became  friends  of  the  Mormons — 
espoused  their  polygamous  religion — and  Young  was 
reappointed  Governor  by  their  recommendation.  Thus 
war  in  this  instance  was  avoided — and  Territorial  af- 
fairs went  on  harmoniously. 

Afterward,  difficulties  arose  between  the  Mormons 
and  anti-Mormons  (the  latter  chiefly  miners)  in  West- 
ern Utah,  now  organized  as  Nevada  Territory,  upon 
a  question  of  jurisdiction.  The  signs  w^ere  again 
ominous  of  war  for'  a  season ;  but  finally  Governor 
Young  took  counsel  of  his  discretion,  and  peacefully 
withdrew  from  the  contest.  The  questions  involved 
10- 


226  MOKMONISM  : 

in  this  matter  were  stated  by  Mr.  Crane,  delegate 
elect  for  Nevada,  in  January,  1859  : 

"  The  Mormons  and  anti-Mormons  began  the  set- 
tlement of  Western  Utah  in  the  latter  part  of  1854. 
The  former,  however,  succeeded  in  1855  in  obtaining 
a  numerical  majority;  and  the  Legislature  of  Utah, 
on  being  informed  of  this  fact,  organized  the  whole 
western  part  of  the  Territory,  under  the  name  of 
Carson  County,  and  Governor  Young  appointed  Or- 
son Hyde,  the  President  of  the  Quorum  of  Twelve 
AiDOStles,  its  Probate  Judge.  Soon  after  the  judge 
arrived,  adventurers  from  California,  as  well  as  from 
the  Atlantic  States,  settled  in  Carson  and  other  val- 
leys on  the  eastern  side  of  the  Sierra  Nevada,  for  the 
purpose  of  mining,  farming,  and  raising  stock.  As 
they  increased  very  fast,  the  Mormons  became  alarmed, 
and  determined  to  expel  them. 

"  They  therefore  ordered  them  to  leave  the  coun- 
try. Of  course  the  anti-Mormons  refused  to  do  so. 
The  Mormons  then  assembled  their  forces,  and  at- 
tempted to  expel  them,  vi  et  armis.  The  anti-Mor- 
mons also  organized,  and  fortified  themselves,  with  a 
view  of  defending  their  lives  and  property  against 
their  assailants.  For  two  weeks  their  armies  camped 
nearly  in  sight  of  each  other,  without  coming  to  a 
direct  battle. 

"  By  this  time  news  had  reached  the  miners  in 
California  of  this  state  of  afiairs,  and  a  large  number 


ITS    OEIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PKOGKESS.  227 

had  determined  to  cross  the  mountains,  and  aiford 
protection  to  the  anti-Mormons.  On  hearing  this, 
the  Mormons  became  satisfied  that,  unless  they  re- 
traced their  steps,  they  would  themselves  be  driven 
from  the  country,  instead  of  the  anti-Mormons.  They 
therefore  proposed  a  truce,  and  agreed  that  all  should 
enjoy  a  common  heritage  in  that  part  of  the  Terri- 
tory  

"  The  only  remedy  for  this  unnatural  war,  nov/ 
raging  between  the  Mormons  and  the  anti-Mormons  in 
Utah,  is  to  be  found  in  the  immediate  separation  of 
these  people  under  two  distinct  governmental  organi- 
zations. One  thing  is  inevitable — the  Mormons  and 
anti-Mormons  will  never,  and  can  never  live  together 
in  peace,  under  one  government.  The  conflicts  which 
took  place  between  them  in  Ohio,  Missouri,  Illinois, 
and  Iowa,  and  which  are  now  going  on  in  Utah, 
ought  to  convince  any  intelligent  man  of  the  justice 
and  truth  of  this  declaration.  Indeed,  the  Mormons 
themselves  acknowledge  it ;  and  so  long  as  they  adhere 
to  their  belief — a  belief  founded  upon  their  own  scrip- 
fures,  that  an  absolute  theocracy  is  the  only  govern- 
ment under  which  they  can  and  should  live — tliey 
never  will  be  loyal  to  our  government  and  country- 
men ;  and  hence  their  hostility  to  our  institutions  and 
people,  and  their  inflexible  devotion  to  their  own. 

"  In  every  State  where  the  Mormons  have  lived, 
it  has  cost  the  loyal  j)eople  of  the  State  thousands  of 


228  MOEMONISM ; 

dollars,  as  well  as  the  loss  of  many  lives,  to  compel 
them  to  obey  the  laws.  In  every  instance  they  have 
resisted  our  laws,  and  in  every  State  necessity  de- 
manded their  expulsion. 

"  In  Utah,  while  they  were  charged  with  the  ad- 
ministration of  the  government  and  execution  of  the 
laws,  they  proved  themselves  not  only  traitors  to  our 
people,  but  treacherous  to  the  Government,  and  open- 
ly rebelled  against  them  and  defied  their  authority, 
and  it  cost  the  Federal  Government  millions  to  con- 
quer them.  They  have  still  control  of  the  Territory, 
and  they  are  inflexibly  bent  upon  subduing  the  anti- 
Mormons  of  Western  Utah ;  and  if  the  latter  are  not 
separated  from  them,  and  protected  by  law,  it  will  re- 
quire the  expenditure  of  millions  more  to  restore  order 
in  Utah-.  Congress  can  count  the  cost  in  this  matter, 
while  we  will  have  the  melancholy  duty  of  burying 
our  dead.  The  people  of  Nevada  will  never  be  con- 
quered— never  be  ruled  by  the  Mormons.  Come  what 
will,  they  will  resist  to  the  bitter  end.  They  prefer 
death  to  dishonor,  and  the  Government  may  choose 
which  of  these  shall  be  meted  out  to  them. 

"In  addition  to  the  above  considerations,  which 
should,  I  believe,  present  conclusive  and  imposing  evi- 
dence, sufficiently  satisfactory  to  induce  Congress  to 
organize  the  Territory  of  Nevada,  I  may  likewise 
mention  others.  While  the  people  of  Western  Utah 
have,  in  the  Mormons,  open   and   avowed  enemies, 


ITS    OEIGEN-,    EISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  229 

they  have  likewise  the  savage  tribes  to  defend  them- 
selves against.  Some  of  these  tribes  are  professed 
Mormons,  Avhile  others  are  under  their  influence. 
Many  conflicts  have  taken  place  between  the  anti- 
Mormons  and  some  of  these  tribes,  as  well  as  between 
the  emigrants  (while  crossing  the  Plains  to  the  North 
Pacific)  and  the  savages ;  and  there  is  no  hope  of 
establishing  amicable  relations  with  these  Indian 
tribes,  until  they  are  brought  under  other  and  better 
relations  with  the  anti-Mormons  of  Utah.  Peace 
does  not  reign  in  Utah,  and  never  v/ill,  under  tbe 
present  order  of  tlnngs." 

As  above  set  forth,  the  Mormons  wqre  in  hostile 
relations  to  the  Government;  they  were,  indeed,  in 
actual  rebellion.  On  that  account,  all  the  Federal 
authorities  not  in  afliliation  with  them,  had  left  the 
Territory.  Yet  a  temperate  policy  was  deemed  ad- 
visable at  "Washington.  Young  was  again  removed, 
and  a  successor  appointed,  in  the  summer  of  1857. 
The  new  appointments,  altogether,  were :  Governor, 
A.  Gumming ;  Chief  Justice,  D.  R.  Eckles ;  Associate 
Justices,  John  Cradlebaugh  and  Charles.  E.  Sinclair ; 
Secretary,  John  Harnett.  These  officers  were  sup- 
ported by  an  army  of  three  thousand  men,  under  the 
command  of  Colonel  A.  S.  Johnston.  A  sufficient  his- 
tory of  aflairs,  as  now  presented,  may  be  gathered  from 
a  report  of  the  Secretary  of  War,  December  5,  1857: 

"  The  Territory  of  Utah  is  peopled  almost  exclu- 


230  MOEMONISM  : 

sively  by  the  religious  sect  known  as  Mormons.  They 
have  subsitituted  for  the  laws  of  the  land,  a  theocracy, 
ha\ing  for  its  head  an  individual  whom  they  profess 
to  believe  a  prophet  of  God. 

"  This  prophet  demands  obedience,  and  receives  it 
implicitly  from  his  people,  in  virtue  of  what  he  assures 
them  to  be  authority  derived  from  revelations  re- 
ceived by  bim  from  heaven.  Whenever  he  finds  it 
convenient  to  exercise  any  special  command,  these 
opportune  revelations  of  a  higher  law  come  to  his  aid. 
From  his  decrees  there  is  no  appeal ;  against  his  will 
there  is  no  resistance 

"  From  tlie  first  hour  they  fixed  themselves  in  that 
remote  and  almost  inaccessible  region  of  our  territory, 
from  which  they  are  now  sending  defiance  to  the 
sovereign  power,  their  whole  plan  has  been  to  pre- 
pare for  a  successful  secession  from  the  authority  of 
the  United  States,  and  a  permanent  establishment  of 
their  own 

"This  Mormon  brotherhood  has  scarcely  pre- 
served the  semblance  of  obedience  to  the  authority 
of  the  United  States  for  some  years  past ;  not  at  all, 
indeed,  except  as  it  might  confer  some  direct  benefit 
upon  themselves,  or  contribute  to  circulate  public 
money  in  their  community.  It  has,  nevertheless,  al- 
v/ays  been  the  policy  and  desire  of  the  Federal  Gov- 
ernment to  avoid  collision  with  this  Mormon  com- 
munity  


ITS    OKIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  231 

"  Their  settlements  lie  in  the  great  pathway  which 
leads  from  the  Atlantic  States  to  the  new  and  flourish- 
ing communities  growing  up  upon  the  Pacific  sea- 
board. They  stand  a  lion  in  the  path ;  not  only  them- 
selves defying  the  civil  and  military  authorities  of  the 
government,  but  encouraging,  if  not  exciting,  the 
nomad  savages  who  roam  over  the  vast,  unoccupied 
regions  of  the  continent,  to  the  pillage  and  massacre  of 
peaceful  and  helpless  emigrant  families  traversing  the 
solitudes  of  the  wilderness.  The  rapid  settlement  of 
our  Pacific  possessions ;  the  rights,  in  those  regions, 
of  emigrants,  unable  to  afford  the  heavy  expenses  of 
transit  by  water  and  the  Isthmus ;  the  facility  and 
safety  of  military,  political,  and  social  intercommuni- 
cation between  our  Eastern  and  Western  population 
and  States — all  depend  upon  the  prompt,  absolute, 
and  thorough  removal  of  a  hostile  power  besetting 
this  path,  midway  of  its  route,  at  a  point  where  suc- 
cor and  provisions  should  always  be  found,  rather 
than  obstruction,  privation,  and  outrage 

"  From  all  the  circumstances  surrounding  this 
subject  at  the  time,  it  was  thought  expedient,  during 
the  past  summer,  to  .send  a  body  of  troops  to  Utah, 
with  the  civil  officers  recently  appointed  to  that  Ter- 
ritory. .  .  .  The  instructions  of  the  commanding 
officer  were  deliberately  considered  and  carefully 
drawn,  and  he  was  charged  not  to  allow  any  conflict 
to  take  place  between  the  troops  and  the  people  of  the 


232  MOEMONISM  : 

Territory,  excejjt  only  in  case  he  should  be  called  upon 
by  the  Governor  for  soldiers  to  act  as  a  posse  comitatus 
in  enforcing  obedience  to  the  laws. 

"An  active,  discreet  officer,  was  sent  in  advance 
of  the  army  to  Utah,  for  the  purpose  of  purchasing 
provisions  for  it,  and  of  assuring  the  peojDle  of  the 
Territory  of  the  peaceful  intentions  of  the  Govern- 
ment. This  officer  found,  upon  entering  the  Terri- 
tory, that  these  deluded  people  had  already,  in  ad- 
vance of  his  arrival,  or  of  any  information,  except  as 
to  the  march  of  the  column,  determined  to  resist  their 
approach,  and  prevent,  if  possible,  and  by  force,  the 
entrance  of  the  army  into  the  Valley  of  Salt  Lake. 
Supplies  of  every  sort  were  refused  him. 

"  The  day  after  his  departure  from  the  city,  on  his 
way  back.  Young  issued  his  proclamation,  substan- 
tially declaring  war  against  the  United  States,  and  at 
the  same  time  putting  the  Territory  under  martial  law." 

Young,  it  will  be  seen,  still  assumed  to  be  Gov- 
ernor of  Utah,  and  in  that  capacity  issued  a  procla- 
mation of  martial  law.  This  document  bears  date 
September  15,  1857,  and  a  few  brief  extracts  will 
suffice  to  show  its  general  spirit : 

"  Citizens  of  Utah :  We  are  invaded  by  a  hostile 
force,  w^ho  are  evidently  assailing  us  to  accomplish 
our  overthrow  and  destruction.  For  the  last  twenty- 
five  years  Ave  have  trusted  officials  of  the  Government, 
from  constables  and  justices,  to  judges,  governors,  and 


233 

presidents,  only  to  be  scorned,  held  in  derision,  in- 
sulted, and  betrayed.  Our  houses  have  been  plundered 
and  then  burned,  our  fields  laid  waste,  our  principal 
men  butchered,  ^^hile  under  the  pledged  faith  of  the 
Government  for  their  safety;  and  our  families  driven 
from  their  homes  to  find  that  shelter  in  the  barren 
wilderness,  and  that  protection  among  hostile  savages, 
which  were  denied  them  in  the  boasted  abodes  of 
Christianity  and  civilization. 

"  Our  opponents  have  availed  themselves  of  pre- 
judices existing  against  us,  because  of  our  religious 
faith,  to  send  out  a  formidable  host  to  accomplish  our 
destruction.  We  have  had  no  privilege  or  oppor- 
tunity of  defending  ourselves  from  the  false,  foul,  and 
unjust  aspersions  against  us,  before  the  nation.    .    .    . 

"We  are  condemned  unheard,  and  forced  to  an 
issue  with  an  armed,  mercenary  mob,  which  has  been 
sent  against  us  at  the  instigation  of  anonymous  letter- 
writers,  ashamed  to  father  the  base,  slanderous  false- 
hoods, which  they  have  given  to  the  public ;  of  corrupt 
officials,  who  have  brought  false  accusations  against 
us,  to  screen  themselves  in  their  own  infamy  ;  and  of 
hireling  priests  and  howling  editors,  who  prostitute 
the  truth  for  filthy  lucre's  sake 

"  Therefore,  I,  Brigham  Young,  Governor  and  Su- 
perintendent of  Indian  Affairs  for  the  Territory  of 
Utah,  in  the  name  of  the  people  of  the  United  States 
in  the  Territory  of  Utah,  forbid — 


234  MORMONISM  : 

"  First :  All  armed  forces,  of  whatever  description, 
from  coming  into  this  Territory,  under  any  pretence 
whatever. 

"  Second :  That  all  the  forces  in  said  Territory 
hold  themselves  in  readiness  to  march  at  a  moment's 
notice,  to  repel  any  and  all  such  invasion. 

"  Third:  Martial  law  is  hereby  declared  to  exist 
in  this  Territory,  from  and  after  the  publication  of 
this  proclamation ;  and  no  person  shall  be  allowed  to 
pass  or  repass,  into,  or  through,  or  from  this  Territory, 
without  a  permit  from  the  j^roper  officer." 

This  proclamation  met  the  United  States  forces  on 
the  Plains,  dispatched  from  Fort  Bridger  by  Daniel 
H.  Wells,  "commanding  Nauvoo  Legion,"  accom- 
panied by  his  announcement  of  his  purpose  to  carry 
out  -its  instructions. 

The  able-bodied  Mormons  had  j^romj^tly  responded 
to  their  j)rophet's  call  to  arms,  and  an  army  of  ample 
numbers  was  found  confronting  the  Federal  troops. 
He  addressed  them  in  a  Sunday-morning  sermon, 
breathing  the  vengeance  of  war  in  earnest,  as  per  the 
following  specimen : 

"  This  people  are  free ;  they  are  not  in  bondage  to 
any  government  on  God's  footstool.  We  have  trans- 
gressed no  law,  and  we  have  no  occasion  to  do  "so, 
neither  do  we  intend  to ;  but  as  for  any  enemies 
coming  to  destroy  this  people,  God  Almighty  being 
my  helper,  they  cannot  come  here.     We  have  borne 


235 


enough  of  their  oppression  and  hellish  abuse,  and  we 
will  not  bear  any  more  of  it,  for  there  is  no  just  law 
requiring  further  forbearance  on  our  part.  And  I  am 
not  going  to  have  troops  here  to  protect  the  priests 
and  hellish  rabble  in  efforts  to  drive  us  from  the  land 
we  possess;  for  the  Lord  does  not  want  us  to  be 
driven,  and  has  said,  'If  you  will  assert  your  rights, 
and  keep  my  commandments,  you  shall  never  again 
be  brought  into  bondage  by  your  enemies.'    .     .     .     . 

"  They  say  that  their  army  is  legal ;  and  I  say  that 
such  a  statement  is  as  false  as  hell,  and  that  they  are 
as  rotten  as  an  old  pumpkin  that  has  been  frozen 
seven  times,  and  then  melted  in  a  harvest  sun.  Come 
on  with  your  thousands  of  illegally  ordered  troops, 
and  I  will  promise  you,  in  the  name  of  Israel's  God, 
that  you  shall  melt  away  as  the  snow  before  a  July 
sun 

"You  might  as  well  tell  me  that  you  can  make 
hell  into  a  powder-house,  as  to  tell  me  that  you  could 
let  an  army  in  here,  and  have  peace ;  and  I  intend  to 
tell  them,  and  show  them  this,  if  they  do  not  stay 
away." 

In  the  afternoon  the  Mormon  autocrat  gave  further 
vent  to  his  fury : 

"  Before  we  left  Nauvoo,  not  less  tlian  two  United 
States  Senators  came  to  receive  a  pledge  from  us  that 
we  would  leave  the  United  States ;  and  then,  while 
we  were  doing  our  best  to  leave  their  borders,  the 


236  MORMONISM  : 

poor,  low,  degraded  curses  sent  a  requisition  for  five 
hundred  men  to  go  and  fight  their  battles  !  That  was 
President  Polk ;  and  he  is  now  weltering  in  hell,  with 
old  Zachary  Taylor,  where  the  present  administration 
will  soon  be,  if  they  do  not  repent ! 

"  Liars  have  reported  that  this  people  have  com- 
mitted treason,  and  upon  their  lies  the  President  has 
ordered  out  troops  to  aid  in  officering  this  Territory ; 
and  if  those  officers  are  like  many  who  have  previously 
been  sent  here — and  we  have  reason  to  believe  that  they 
are,  or  they  would  not  come  where  they  know  they  are 
not  wanted — they  are  poor,  miserable  blacklegs,  bro- 
ken-down political  hacks,  robbers,  and  whoremongers ; 
men  that  are  not  fit  for  civilized  society ;  so  they  must 
dragoon  them  upon  us  for  officers.  I  feel  that  I  won't 
bear  such  cursed  treatment,  and  that  is  enough  to 
say — for  we  are  just  as  free  as  the  mountain  air.    .   .   . 

"  I  have  told  you  that  if  this  people  will  live  their 
religion,  all  will  be  well ;  and  I  have  told  you  that  if 
there  is  any  man  or  woman  who  is  not  willing  to  de- 
stroy any  thing  or  every  thing  of  their  property  that 
would  be  of  use  to  an  enemy,  if  left,  I  wanted  them  to 
go  out  of  the  Territory 

"  Now,  the  faint-hearted  can  go  in  peace ;  but 
should  that  time  come,  they  must  not  Interfere.  Be- 
fore I  will  sufier  what  I  have  in  times  gone  by,  there 
shall  not  be  one  building,  nor  one  foot  of  lumber,  nor 
a  stick,  nor  a  tree,  nor  a  particle  of  grass  or  hay  that 


ITS   ORIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOaEESS.  237 

will  burn,  left  in  reach  of  our  enemies.  I  am  sworn, 
if  driven  to  extremity,  to  utterl]^  lay  waste,  in  tlie 
name  of  Israel's  God." 

The  Federal  troops  were  encamj^ed  at  Green 
River,  near  Fort  Bridger,  one  hundred  and  eighteen 
miles  from  Salt  Lake  City;  and  in  November,  Gov- 
eruor  Gumming  issued  a  proclamation  to  the  people 
of  Utah,  informing  them  of  his  mission,  which  was 
to  reorganize  the  Territorial  government,  bring  the 
treasonable  leaders  to  judicial  trial,  and  enforce  obe- 
dience to  the  United  States  Constitution  and  the  or- 
ganic law  of  the  Territory. 

The  usual  "  ravages  of  war  " — except  those  which 
result  from  fighting — were  systematically  perpetrated 
by  the  Mormon  troops,  such  as  stealing  the  Federal 
commissary  stores,  destroying  the  military  wagons, 
and  burning  the  forage  and  other  means  of  sustenance 
for  the  "invaders."  The  winter  was  a  severe  one, 
and  great  suffering  was  experienced  by  the  men  on 
both  sides,  but  no  hostile  gun  was  fired.  Thus  mat- 
ters continued  for  a  while,  when,  in  December,  Gov- 
ernor Gumming  visited  the  city,  on  invitation  of  the 
Mormon  leader,  where  he  was  received  in  a  friendly 
manner  by  Governor  Young.  On  mutual  explana- 
tions, the  latter  relinquished  the  papers  of  his  office, 
and  gave  a  pledge  of  peace  and  obedience  to  law.  A 
proclamation  of  Presidential  pardon  followed  in  June, 
accompanied  by  an  assurance  from  the  commissioners 


238  MOEMONisM : 

from  Washington  bearing  the  proclamation,  in  these 
words :  (^ 

"  If  you  obey  the  laws,  keep  the  peace,  and  respect 
the  just  rights  of  others,  you  will  be  perfectly  secure, 
and  may  live  in  your  present  faith,  or  change  it  for 
another  at  your  pleasure.  Every  intelligent  man 
among  you  knows  very  well  that  the  Government  has 
never,  directly  or  indirectly,  sought  to  molest  you  in 
your  worship,  to  control  you  in  your  ecclesiastical 
affairs,  or  even  to  influence  you  in  your  religious 
opinions." 

Peace  now  reigned ;  the  new  Territorial  officers 
were  at  their  posts ;  and  the  Federal  troops  marched 
unmolested  through  the  city  to  their  destined  en- 
campment at  Cedar  Valley,  forty  miles  south. 

Numerous  instances  of  robberies,  incendiarisms, 
and  murders,  have  occurred  from  time  to  time  upon 
the  Plains,  in  which  Mormons  and  Indians  were  impli- 
cated, sometimes  in  league.  The  details  of  these  past 
atrocities  do  not  necessarily  come  within  the  province 
of  this  volume. 

Several  vacancies  in  Territorial  offices  led  to  the 
following  appointments,  in  February,  1863  :  Governor, 
Stephen  H.  Harding,  of  Indiana ;  Associate  Justices, 
Thomas  S.  Drake,  of  Michigan,  and  Charles  B.  Waite, 
of  Illinois.  The  opening  for  Governor  Harding's  ap- 
pointment occurred  in  this  wise :  a  Mr.  Dawson  had 
been  appointed  Governor,  to  fill  a  vacancy  occasioned 


ITS    ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  239 

by  the  resignation  of  Governor  Gumming,  but  becom- 
ing in  some  way  entangled  in  the  meshes  of  Mormon- 
ism  after  a  brief  official  service,  summarily  resigned. 
As  accused,  he  attempted  the  illustration  of  polyg- 
amy in  a  style  not  exactly  in  accordance  with  the 
mystic  rites  of  the  Church  of  Latter-Day  Saints: 
whereat  the  prophet,  the  elders,  and  their  followers, 
became  intensely  indignant.  Apprehending  personal 
danger,  the  clandestine  polygamist  sought  safety  in 
precipitate  flight ;  but  a  self-appointed  committee  of 
the  "MormoD  boys"  overtook  him  in  a  chase,  gave 
him  a  severe  castigation,  and  then  set  him  free.  That 
was  Governor  Dawson's  last  demonstration  of  Mor- 
mon faith,  and  the  finale  of  his  gubernatorial  glory. 

Congress  passed  an  act  "to  punish  and  prevent 
the  practice  of  polygamy  in  the  Territories,  and  to 
annul  certain  acts  of  the  Legislative  Assembly  of 
Utah."  The  Mormons  held  this  act  to  be  unconstitu- 
tional, as  well  as  a  violation  of  the  pledge  that  had 
been  given,  and  therefore  refused  to  obey  it  as  law. 
On  the  assembling  of  the  Territorial  Legislature,  Gov- 
ernor Harding,  in  his  message  to  that  body,  declared 
in  favor  of  the  enforcement  of  the  act,  discussing  the 
question  in  a  manner  giving  special  umbrage  to  the 
polygamists.     Extracts  from  the  Governor's  message  : 

"  It  would  be  disingenuous  if  I  were  not  to  advert 
to  a  question,  which,  although  seemingly  it  has  noth- 
ing to  do  in  the  premises,  yet  is  one  of  vast  impor- 


24:0  MOBMONISM : 

tance  to  you  as  a  people,  and  Avbicli  cannot  be  ignored. 
I  mean  that  institution  which  is  not  only  commended 
hut  encouraged  by  you,  and  which,  to  say  the  least 
of  it,  is  an  anomaly  throughout  Christendom.  I  mean 
polygamy,  or  if  you  prefer  the  term,  plurality  of 
wives.  In  approaching  this  delicate  subject,  I  desire 
to  do  so  in  no  unkind  or  offensive  spirit 

"  I  lay  it  down  as  a  sound  proposition,  that  no  com- 
munity can  happily  exist  with  an  institution  so  im- 
portant as  that  of  marriage  wanting  in  all  those 
qualities  that  make  it  homogeneal  with  institutions 
and  laws  of  neighboring  civilized  communities  having 
the  same  object. 

"  Anomalies  in  the  moral  world  cannot  long  exist 
in  a  state  of  mere  abeyance ;  they  must,  from  the  very 
nature  of  things,  become  aggressive,  or  they  will  soon 
disappear,  from  the  force  of  conflicting  ideas. 

"  This  proposition  is  supported  by  the  history  of 
our  race,  and  is  so  plain  that  it  may  be  set  down  as 
an  axiom.  If  we  grant  this  to  be  true,  we  may  sum 
up  the  conclusion  of  the  argument  as  follows :  either 
the  laws  and  opinions  of  the  communities  by  which 
you  are  surrounded  must  become  subordinate  to  your 
customs  and  opinions,  or,  on  the  other  hand,  yours 
must  yield  to  theirs.  The  conflict  is  irrepressi- 
ble  

"  That  plurality  of  wives  is  tolerated  and  believed 
to  be  right,  may  not  appear  so  strange ;  but  that  a 


ITS    OKIGESr,    RISE,    AND   PEOGKESS.  241 

mother  and  her  daughter  are  allowed  to  fulfil  the 
duties  of  wives  to  the  same  husband,  or  that  a  man 
could  be  found  in  all  Christendom  who  could  be  in- 
duced to  take  upon  himself  such  a  relationship,  is  per- 
haps no  less  a  marvel  in  morals  than  in  matters  of  taste. 

"  The  bare  fact  that  such  practices  are  tolerated 
among  you  is  sufiicient  evidence  that  the  human  pas- 
sions, whether  excited  by  religious  fanaticism  or 
otherwise,  must  be  restrained  and  subjected  to  laws, 
to  which  all  must  yield  obedience.  No  community 
can  long  exist,  without  absolute  social  anarchy,  unless 
so  important  an  institution  as  that  of  marriage  is  reg- 
ulated by  law.  It  is  the  basis  of  our  civilization,  and 
in  it  the  whole  question  of  the  descent  and  distribu- 
tion of  real  and  personal  estate  is  involved. 

"  Much  to  my  astonishment,  I  have  not  been  able 
to  find  any  law  upon  the  statutes  of  this  Territory 
regulating  marriage.  I  earnestly  recommend  to  your 
early  consideration  the  passage  of  some  law  that  will 
meet  the  exigencies  of  the  people 

"I  am  aware  that  there  is  a  prevaihng  opinion 
here  that  the  Act  of  Congress  is  unconstitutional,  and 
therefore  it  is  recommended  by  those  in  high  authority 
that  no  regard  whatever  should  be  paid  to  the  same ; 
and  still  more  to  be  regretted,  if  I  am  rightly  inform- 
ed, in  some  instances  it  has  been  recommended  that  it 
be  openly  disregarded  and  defied,  merely  to  defy  the 

same.  / 

11 


242  MOEMONISM  : 

"  I  take  this  occasion  to  warn  the  people  of  this 
Territory  against  such  dangerous  and  disloyal  coun- 
sels. Whether  the  act  is  unconstitutional  or  not,  is 
not  necessary  for  me  either  to  affirm  or  deny 

"  The  Constitution  has  amply  provided  how  and 
where  all  such  questions  of  doubt  are  to  he  submitted 
and  settled,  namely,  in  the  courts  constituted  for  that 
purpose. 

"  To  forcibly  resist  the  execution  of  that  act, 
would  be,  to  say  the  least,  a  high  misdemeanor ;  and 
if  a  whole  community  should  become  involved  in  such 
resistance,  would  call  down  upon  it  the  consequences 
of  insurrection  and  rebellion."     .... 

The  "  pent-up  fires  of  saintly  wrath "  now  broke 
forth.  The  Legislature,  largely  Mormon  in  its  com- 
position, refused  to  print  the  message,  and  a  large 
and  excited  meeting  of  the  offended  people  appointed 
a  committee  to  warn  the  Governor,  and  also  the  two 
justices  counselling  his  action,  to  leave  the  Territory. 
At  the  meeting  Young  made  one  of  his  characteristic 
harangues,  usually  called  "sermons."  As  authori- 
tatively reported,  he  said,  among  other  things  in  the 
same  vein : 

"  You  have  just  heard  read  the  message  of  Gov- 
ernor Harding,  delivered  to  the  Legislative  As- 
sembly of  this  Territory.  You  will  readily  perceive 
that  the  bread  is  buttered,  but  there  is  poison  under- 
neath.    When  lie  came  to  Utah  last  «[uly,  the  Gov- 


ITS   ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  243 

emor  sought  to  iDgratiate  himself  into  the  esteem  of 
our  prominent  citizens,  with  whom  he  had  early  inter- 
course, and  professed  great  friendship  and  attachment 
for  the  people  of  the  Territory.  He  was  then  full  of 
their  praises,  and  said  he  was  ready  to  declare  that  he 
would  stand  in  the  defence  of  polygamy,  or  that  he 
should  have  to  deny  the  Bible ;  and  stated  that  he 
had  told  the  President,  prior  to  leaving  Washington, 
that  if  he  were  called  upon  to  discuss  the  question,  he 
would  have  to  take  the  side  of  polygamy,  or  to  re- 
nounce the  authority  of  the  Scriptures. 

"  In  the  face  of  all  these  professions,  what  has  been 
the  course  of  this  man  ?  .  .  .  Man,  did  I  say — 
thing,  I  mean — a  nigger-worshipper — a  black-hearted 
abolitionist  is  what  he  is,  and  w^hat  he  represents ;  and 
that  I  do  naturally  despise.  Do  you  acknowledge  this 
man  Harding  for  your  Governor  ?  " 

Voices  all  through  the  audience  responded,  "  N"o, 
yoi(j  are  our  Governor." 

"Yes,  I  am  your  Governor;  and  I  will  let  him 
know  that  I  am  Governor  ;  and  if  he  attempts  to 
interfere  in  my  affairs,  woe,  woe  unto  him  !     .     .     . 

"  In  regard  to  the  war  now  desolating  the  country, 
it  is  but  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecies  of  Joseph 
Smith,  which  he  told  me  thirty  years  ago." 

The  committee  appointed  to  wait  on  the  Governor 
and  the  two  judges,  and  request  them  to  resign  their 
offices  and  leave  the  Territory,  were  John  Taylor, 


244  MOEMONISM  : 

Jeter  Clinton,  and  Orson  Pratt.     The  following  reso- 
lution was  also  adopted : 

"  Resolved^  That  we  petition  the  President  of  the 
United  States  to  remove  Governor  Harding,  and 
Judges  Waite  and  Drake,  and  to  appoint  good  men 
in  their  stead." 

In  carrying  out  their  instructions,  the  committee 
were  met  by  expressions  of  defiance  and  contempt  on 
the  part  of  the  officers  addressed.  The  following. is 
extracted  from  Governor  Harding's  reply  to  the  com- 
mittee : 

"  Gentlemen,  I  believe  I  understand  this  matter 
perfectly.  I  came  here  a  messenger  of  peace  and 
good-will  to  your  people,  but  I  must  confess  that  my 
opinions  have  changed  in  many  respects.  But  I  came 
also,  sirs,  to  discharge  my  duties  honestly  and  faith- 
fully to  the  Government,  and  I  intend  to  do  so  to  the 
last.  It  is  in  your  power  to  do  me  personal  violence 
— to  shed  my  blood  ;  but  this  consideration  will  not 
deter  me  from  my  purpose.  If  the  President  can  be 
made  to  believe  that  I  have  been  unfaithful  to  the 
trust  he  confided  to  me,  he  will  doubtless  remove  me; 
and  I  then  shall  be  glad  to  return  to  my  home  in  the 
States,  and  will  do  so,  carrying  with  me  no  unjust  re- 
sentments toward  you  or  any  one  else. 

"  But  I  will  not  be  driven  away  ;  I  w^ill  not  cow- 
ardly abandon  my  post.  I  may  be  in  danger  in  stay- 
ing ;  but  my  purpose  is  fixed. 


ITS   ORIGIN,   RISE,   AND   PEOGKESS.  245 

"  Your  allegations  in  this  paper  are  false — without 
the  shadow  of  truth.  You  call  my  message  insulting, 
and  you  dare  not  print  it,  for  fear  your  people  may 
read  it  for  themselves.  To  say  that  I  have  wronged 
you  when  I  said  that  you  are  disloyal,  is  simply  pre- 
posterous. Your  own  people — your  public  teachers 
and  bishops — admit  the  fact. 

"  Let  me  say  to  you  in  conclusion — and  as  this  is 
said  to  be  a  land  of  prophets,  I  too  will  prophesy — if, 
while  in  the  discharge  of  my  duties,  one  drop  of  my 
blood  be  shed  by  your  ministers 'of  vengeance,  that  it 
will  be  avenged,  and  not  one  stone  or  adobe  in  this 
city  will  be  left  upon  another.  I  have  noAV  done,  and 
you  understand  me." 

The  Governor's  message  was  printed  at  Washing- 
ton by  order  of  Congress,  and  one  thousand  copies  were 
distributed  in  Salt  Lake  City.  ISTo  act  of  violence  fol- 
lowed this  political  .collision ;  and  while  Territorial 
government  technically  came  to  a  stand-still-,  the  Mor- 
mon theocracy  with  its  obnoxious  institutions  went  on 
without  serious  molestation.  And  indeed  to  this  day, 
peace  prevails  in  Utah,  and  the  Congressional  act  pro- 
hibiting polygamy  remains  a  dead  letter. 

Governor  Harding,  after  about  one  year's  service, 
was  appointed  Chief  Justice  of  Colorado  Territory, 
being  succeeded  as  Governor  of  Utah  by  the  appoint- 
ment of  James  D.  Doty,  of  Wisconsin,  then  Super- 
intendent of  Indian  Affairs  for  the  Territory.     Judge 


24:6  MOEMONISM  : 

Waite  resigned,  and  Judge  Drake  remained  in  office, 
on  some  terms  of  mutual  conciliation. 

The  present  statistics  of  Mormonism  show  the 
total  conversions,  at  home  and  abroad,  to  he  about 
one  million,  including  those  who  have  backslidden. 
Considered  in  connection  with  the  singular  origin  of 
the  imposture,  as  traced  in  these  annals,  the  progress 
and  results  attained  may  be  regarded  as  the  wonder 
of  the  world.  This  Smith-Rigdon  Church,  based,  as 
has  been  shown,  upon  Spaulding's  fabulous  history  of 
"  lost  tribes,"  and  beginning  with  the  pioneer  impos- 
tors in  1829,  has  now,  in  1867,  its  believers  nearly  co- 
extensive with  the  bounds  of  civilization,  and  in  some 
instances  even  beyond.  The  Mormons  have  their 
missions  in  England,  Scotland,  Wales,  France,  Italy, 
Germany,  Denmark,  Sweden,  Norway,  Switzerland, 
Malta,  Gibraltar,  Hindostan,  Australia,  Siam,  Ceylon, 
China,  Chili,  Guinea,  the  We^t  Indies,  and  the  Sand- 
wich Islands,  ivith  established  churches  in  most  of 
those  countries.  The  Book  of  Mormon  has  gone 
through  several  English  editions,  and  has  also  been 
published  in  French,  German,  Italian,  Danish,  Welsh, 
and  Polynesian,  with  large  editions  of  tracts  in  these 
different  languages.  Among  the  periodicals  published 
by  the  Mormon  Church,  or  in  its  advocacy,  as  the  list 
was  presented  a  few  years  ago,  were  The  Mormon^  at 
New  York  ;  the  Latter-Da'y  Saints*  Millennial  Star, 
published  simultaneously  at  Liverpool  and  London  ; 


ITS   ORIGIN,   RISE,   A^D   PEOGEESS.  247 

the  JReflecteyr,  iii  French,  at  Geneva ;  the  J^toile  du 
Deseret,  in  French,  at  Paris ;  the  ShmidinavisJc  Stjern^ 
in  Danish,  at  Copenhagen  ;  the  JJdgern  Sion^  in 
Welsh  ;  the  Western  Sitandard^  at  San  Francisco ; 
the  Zion^s  Watchman^  in  Australia  ;  and  the  Deseret 
JSTews,  Telegraphy  and  other  publications,  at  Great  Salt 
Lake  City.  Journals  in  English,  Italian,  Swedish, 
Spanish,  and  German,  have  since  been  established. 
Commissioners  are  exploring  the  Sandwich  Islands 
with  the  view  of  acquiring  by  negotiation  an  ample 
tract  of  country  for  a  future  new  Jerusalem,  in  case 
the  necessity  shall  arise  for  vacating  the  present  seat 
of  the  Mormon  Zion  in  Utah. 

The  Mormon  missionary  system  is  prosecuted  wdth 
great  perseverance,  and  with  corresponding  success. 
Able  and  active  men,  mostly  foreign  converts,  though 
numbers  are  sent  out  from  Utah,  are  constantly  em- 
ployed in  this  service.  At  the  present  time-  there  are 
no  less  than  ten  Mormon  congregations  in  London, 
who  hold  their  regular  assemblages  for  public  wor- 
ship every  Sunday.  The  London  Heview  of  a  late 
date  describes  the  Mormon  emigrants  sent  from  Eu- 
rope to  this  country : 

"  The  ignorant,  untaught  English  and  Welsh,  gen- 
erally too  of  dissenting  religious  opinions,  if  of  any, 
form  the  staple  of  the  recruits ;  and  these  are  beguiled 
to  a  '  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,'  aided  in  their 
emigration,  carefully  Avatched  as  they  set  out,  and 


248  MOEMONISM  : 

tended  when  they  arrive.  From  the  day  they  leave 
London  or  Liverpool,  till  the  hour  they  arrive,  they 
are  not  left  alone.  Mr.  Dickens  saw  one  of  their  emi- 
grant-ships, and  while  admiring  its  cleanliness,  was 
struck  with  the  utter  reticence  and  silence  of  all  uipon 
the  question  of  religion.  The  truth  is,  the  'saints' 
are  told  to  hold  themselves  as  saints,  and  to  avoid 
talking  with  the  gentiles.  Their  superiors  or  elders 
are  always  on  the  watch.  They  first  entrap  them, 
and  then  hoodwink  them.  During  the  voyage  out 
they  are  well  treated,  and  herein  our  own  Emigration 
Commissioners  might  learn  a  lesson ;  hut  until  the 
birds  are  caged,  they  really  know  nothing  or  very 
little  of  the  trap  they  have  fallen  into.  Hence  many 
leave  this  country.  Last  year  more  than  two  thou- 
sand joined  the  false  prophet.  To  supply  this  con- 
stant stream  of  emigrants,  there  is  a  large  European 
mission,  and  in  Europe,  it  is  said,  there  are  four  hun- 
dred branches.  In  London  and  its  environs  we  have 
*  meeting-rooms.'  These  places  are  generally  shabby 
teetotal  or  dancing  halls  during  the  Aveek,  and  on 
Sunday,  an  elder,  with  two  or  three  companions  to 
back  him  up,  preaches  in  a  low  and  vulgar  style  on 
religion,  expounding  the  Proverbs  or  the  Gospel  even, 
and  citino'  David  or  Solomon.  Seldom  or  never  is 
polygamy  openly  touched  on ;  it  is  only  to  the  ma- 
tured Mormon,  certainly  not  the  stranger,  that  such  a 
thing  is  broached.     To  conclude,  such  an  agency  is 


ITS    OEIGTN,    EISE,    AND   PKOGKESS.  249 

terrible  in  its  results.  We  do  not  want  a  religious 
persecution,  but  we  hold,  with  an  astute  American, 
that  these  people  are  contravening  the  law,  not  only 
of  God  but  of  the  state,  of  knowledge,  of  health,  of 
morals,  and  of  nature." 

And  the  London  Court  Journal  tells  a  similar 
story,  and  regards  this  spread  of  Mormonism  in  many 
parts  of  England  and  Wales  as  "  one  of  the  saddest 
signs  of  the  times."  Among  other  facts  it  states 
(April,  1867),  that  "the  son  of  Brigham  Young  is  now 
in  London  on  a  proselyting  expedition,  and  has  been 
holding  forth  to  large  audiences  in  the  tabernacle  of 
the  faithful.  It  is  indeed  startling  to  hear  that  many 
hundreds  of  women  leave  England  every  year  for  the 
Salt  Lake  City,  and  the  statement  is  unfortunately 
true  beyond  all  doubt." 

The  visions  of  the  "promised  land"  in  Utah,  with 
the  beauties  of  its  "  celestial  city "  in  the  valley  of 
Great  Salt  Lake,  have  a  winning  influence  as  pre- 
sented by  the  Mormon  missionaries  to  the  fanatical 
and  discontented  minds  addressed  in  foreign  lands. 
That  interesting  region,  indeed,  by  the  pioneer  explo- 
rations and  subsequent  improvements  of  the  Latter- 
Day  Saints,  has  now  a  world-wide  identity  with  our 
country's  history,  and  is  continually  rising  in  impor- 
tance to  the  Government  and  to  Christendom. 

It  is  believed  that  the  Mormon  emigration  from  the 
northern  countries  of  the  Old  World  will  be  larger  this 
11* 


250  MOEMONISM  : 

year  (1867)  than  ever  "before.  A  well-informed  writer 
remarks :  "  One  of  the  cMefest  means  of  conversion, 
of  which  the  Mormon  elders  avail  themselves,  is  the 
promise  which  they  hold  out  of  a  home  in  Utah.  The 
weary  laborer  and  toil-worn  mechanic  of  England  can 
hardly  resist  the  prospect  of  a  country  where  their  in- 
dustry shall  be  properly  rewarded,  Avhere  land  costs 
nothing,  where  their  love  of  pleasure  may  be  satisfied, 
and  where  every  outward  comfort  and  delight  are 
sanctified  by  the  encouragement  of  religious  au- 
thority." 

Mr.  Bowles,  editor  of  the  Springfield  Republican^ 
in  his  graphic  delineations  entitled  "  Across  the  Con- 
tinent," thus  concludes  a  description  of  Utah  and  the 
Mormons  as  they  are : 

"  This  is  Utah — these  the  Mormons.  I  do  not  mar- 
vel that  they  think  they  are  a  chosen  people;  that 
they  have  been  blessed  of  God,  not  only  in  the  selec- 
tion of  their  home,  which  consists  of  the  richest  re- 
gion, in  all  the  elements  of  a  State,  between  the 
Mississippi  valley  and  the  Pacific  shore,  but  in  the 
great  success  that  has  attended  their  labors,  and  de- 
veloped here  the  most  independent  and  self-sustaining 
industry  that  the  Western  half  of  our  continent  wit- 
nesses. Surely  great  worldly  wisdom  has  presided 
over  their  settlement  and  organization ;  there  have 
been  tact  and  statesmanship  in  the  leaders ;  there 
have  been  industry,  frugality,  and  integrity  in  the 


ITS   OKIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGEESS.  251 

people  ;  or  one  could  not  witness  sucli  progress, 
such  wealth,  such  varied  triumphs  of  industry  and 
ingenuity  and  endurance,  as  here  present  them- 
selves  

"  We  came  out  upon  the  plateau,  or  ^  bench,'  as 
they  call  it  here,  that  overlooks  the  valley  of  the  Jor- 
dan, the  valley  alike  of  Utah  Lake  and  the  Great  Salt 
Lake,  and  the  valley  of  the  intermediate  Great  Salt 
Lake  City.  It  is  a  scene  of  rare  natural  beauty.  To 
the  right,  upon  the  plateau,  lay  Camp  Douglas,  the 
home  of  the  soldiers  and  a  village  within  itself,  hold- 
ing guard  over  the  town,  and  within  easy  cannon 
range  of  the  tabernacle  and  tithing-house ;  right  be- 
neath, in  an  angle  of  the  plain,  which  stretched  south 
to  Utah  Lake  and  west  to  the  Salt  Lake — '•  and  Jordan 
rolled  between' — was  the  city,  regularly  and  hand- 
somely laid  out,  with  many  fine  buildings,  and  filled 
with  thick  gardens  of  trees  and  flowers,  that  gave  it  a 
fairy-land  aspect ;  beyond  and  across,  the  plain  spread 
out  five  to  ten  miles  in  width,  with  scattered  farm- 
houses and  herds  of  cattle ;  below,  it  was  lost  in  dim 
distance  ;  above,  it  gave  way,  twenty  miles  ofi*,  to  the 
line  of  light  that  marked  the  beginning  of  Salt  Lake 
— the  whole  flat  as  a  floor  and  sparkling  with  river 
and  irrigating  canals,  and  overlooked  on  both  sides  by 
hills  that  mounted  to  the  snow  line,  and  out  from 
which  flowed  the  fatness  of  water  and  soil  that  makes 
this  once  desert  valley  blossom  under  the  hand  of  in- 


252  MORMomsM : 

dustiy,  with  every  variety  of  verdure,  every  product 
of  almost  every  clime. 

"  No  internal  city  of  the  continent  lies  in  such  a 
field  of  beauty,  unites  such  rich  and  rare  elements  of 
Nature's  formations,  holds  such  guaranties  of  great- 
ness, material  and  social,  in  the  good  time  coming  of 
our  Pacific  development.  I  met  all  along  the  plains 
and  over  the  mountains  the  feeling  that  Salt  Lake  was 
to  be  the  great  central  city  of  this  "West ;  I  found  the 
map,  wath  Montana,  Idaho,  and  Oregon  on  the  north, 
Dakota  and  Colorado  on  the  east,  Nevada  and  Cali- 
fornia on  the  west,  Arizona  on  the  south,  and  a  near 
connection  Avith  the  sea  by  the  Colorado  River  in  the 
latter  direction,  suggested  the  same ;  I  recognized  it 
in  the  Sabbath-morning  picture  of  its  location  and 
possessions ;  I  am  convinced  of  it  as  I  see  mo7*e  and 
more  of  its  opportunities,  its  developed  industries, 
and  its  unimproved  possessions 

"  Salt  Lake  City  is  thus  irrigated,  mainly  from  one 
mountain  stream  ;  bright,  sparkling  brooks,  course 
freely  and  constantly  down  its  paved  gutters,  keep- 
ing the  shade-trees  alive  and  growing,  supplying  drink 
for  animals  and  water  for  household  purposes,  and 
delightfully  cooling  the  summer  air ;  besides  being 
drawn  off  in  right  proportions  for  the  use  of  each 
garden.  .  .  .  Under  this  regular  stimulus,  with  a 
strong  soil  made  up  of  the  wash  of  the  mountains, 
the  finest  of  crops  are  obtained ;  the  vegetable  bottom- 


ITS    ORIGIN,    KISE,    AND   PKOGEESS.  253 

lands  of  your  own  Connecticut  and  of  the  Western 
prairies  cannot  vie  with  the  jiroducts  of  the  best  gar- 
dens and  farms  of  these  Pacific  valleys,  under  this  sys- 
tem of  irrigation.  .  .  .  I  do  not  believe  the  same 
space  of  ground  anywhere  else  in  the  country  holds 
so  much  and  so  fine  fruit  and  vegetables  as  the  city 
of  Salt  Lake  to-day. 

"  The  soil  of  these  valleys  is  especially  favorable 
to  the  small  grains.  Fifty  and  sixty  bushels  is  a  very 
common  crop  of  wheat,  oats,  and  barley ;  and  over 
ninety  have  been  raised.  President  Young  once  raised 
ninety-three  and  a  half  bushels  of  wheat  on  a  single 
acre.  I  should  say  the  same  soil  located  in  the  East, 
and  taking  its  chances  without  irrigation,  would  not 
produce  half  what  it  does  here  with  irrigation.  La- 
borious and  expensive  as  the  process  must  be,  the 
large  crops  and  high  prices  obtained  for  them  make 
it  pay.  Over  all  this  country,  that  is  forced  to  have 
an  irrigated  farming,  there  is  no  business  that  now 
pay^  so  well,  not  even  mining,  and  nowhere  else  in  the 
whole  nation  is  agriculture  so  profitable 

"There  is  a  mountain  of  rock  salt  a  few  miles 
away;  and  below,  in  Arizona,  is  a  similar  moun- 
tain w^hose  salt  is  as  pure  as  finest  glass.  President 
Young  showed  us  a  brick  of  it  to-day,  that  excited 
our  surprise  and  delight  as  much  as  any  novelty  we 
have  seen  on  our  jom-ney 

"  The  policy  of  the  Mormon  leaders  has  been  to 


254  MOEMONISM  : 

confiDe  theii'  people  to  agriculture  ;  to  develop  a  self- 
sustaining,  rural  population,  quiet,  frugal,  industrious, 
scattered  in  small  villages,  and  so  manageable  by  the 
Churcli  organization.  So  far,  this  policy  has  been  ad- 
mirably successful ;  and  it  has  created  an  industry 
and  a  production  here,  in  the  centre  of  the  Western 
half  of  our  continent,  of  immense  importance  and 
value  to  the  future  growth  of  the  region.  A  few  of 
the  simpler  manufactures  have  been  introduced  of 
late,  but  these  are  not  in  conflict  with  the  general 
policy.  There  are  three  cotton-mills,  confined  to 
cotton  yarns,  however,  almost  exclusively,  and  one 
woollen-mill.  Probably  there  are  a  hundred  flouring- 
mills  in  the  Territory  also.  Flour,  the  grains,  butter, 
bacon,  dried  peaches,  home-made  socks  and  yarn, 
these  are  the  chief  articles  produced  in  excess,  and 
sold  to  emigrants  and  for  the  mining  regions  in  the 
North.  Probably  two  hundred  thousand  pounds  of 
dried  peaches  were  sold  for  Idaho  and  Montana  last 
year.  Hides  are  j)lenty ;  there  is  a  good  tannery 
here ;  and  also  a  manufactory  of  boots  and  shoes. 
Cotton  grows  abundantly  in  the  southern  settle- 
ments ;  and  experiments  with  flax,  the  mulberry  tree, 
and  the  silk- worm,  are  all  successful. 

"  As  to  mining,  the  influence  of  the  Church  has 
been  against  it.  .  .  .  President  Young  argues  that 
the  world  has  many  times  more  gold  and  silver  than 
it  needs  for  financial  purposes ;  that  the  country  is 


ITS   ORIGIN,    EISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  255 

poorer  to-clay  for  all  the  miniiiGj  of  gold  and  silver  in 
the  last  twenty  years ;  and  that  for  every  dollar  gained 
by  it,  four  dollars  have  been  expended." 

Salt  and  Utah  Lakes  are  sketched  by  Mr.  Ferris,  late 
Territorial  Secretary,  in  his  "  Utah  and  the  Mormons  : " 

"  Great  Salt  Lake  is  a  very  great  curiosity.  It  is 
about  one  hundred  and  thirty  miles  lon^,  and  from 
seventy  to  eighty  broad,  and  is,  as  near  as  may  be,  a 
vast  collection  of  brine.  The  water  seems  to  be  sat- 
urated with  salt  to  its  utmost  capacity  of  holding  it 
in  solution,  indicating  the  neighborhood  of  great  de- 
posits of  mineral  salt.  Between  Great  Salt  Lake  City 
and  Bear  River  is  a  spring  intensely  salt,  which  pours 
out  a  volume  of  water  equal  to  that  at  Spring  Port, 
on  the  east  side  of  Cayuga  Lake,  which  it  very  much 
resembles.  This  is  probably  one  of  many  others  of  a 
similar  character  which  pour  their  contents  into  the 
lake.  At  particular  points  on  the  beach,  where  the 
regular  course  of  the  winds  dashes  up  the  waves,  the 
salt  collects  in  such  quantities  as  to  be  conveniently 
shovelled  into  carts  for  domestic  use.  It  is  also  pro- 
cured by  evaporation,  three  pails  of  the-  water  pro- 
ducing one  of  salt.  A  person  bathing  may  sit  in  the 
water,  rising  to  his  arm-pits,  as  in  a  chair ;  but  let  him 
beware  of  toppling  over,  unless  he  wishes  to  encoun- 
ter the  risk  of  drowning  heels  over  head.  The  water 
is  perfectly  limpid,  and  has  no  living  thing  beneath  its 
saline  waves.     It  has  many  islands  with  high  moun- 


256  MOKMONISM : 

tain-peaks,  among  the  largest  of  which  is  Antelope 
Island,  situated  so  near  the  eastern  shore  as  to  be 
accessible  for  grazing  purposes,  for  which  it  is  exten- 
sively used. 

"  Utah  Lake,  about  forty  miles  south  of  Salt  Lake, 
with  which  it  is  connected  by  its  outlet,  the  River 
Jordan,  is  ^  handsome  sheet  of  fresh  water,  some 
fifteen  miles  long  by  ten  broad,  and  abounds  with  the 
finest  salmon-trout.  In  approaching  it  from  the  north, 
the  valley  of  the  Jordan  narrows,  and  in  rounding  a 
point  about  seven  miles  from  the  lake,  a  grand  spec- 
tacle suddenly  bursts  upon  the  view  of  the  traveller. 
The  lake  presents  itself  in  placid  beauty  below  him, 
surrounded,  and  seemingly  completely  walled  in,  by 
lofty  mountains  covered  with  snow 

"  The  Great  Basin  is  rich  in  minerals,  among  which 
are  iron  and  coal,  found  in  Iron  County,  some  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  miles  south  of  Great  Salt  Lake  City,  in 
such  abundance  as  to  provide  an  adequate  supply  for 
the  future  wants  of  the  population 

"  Gold  has  only  been  discovered  in  Carson  Valley, 
near  the  line  separating  Utah  from  California,  but 
there  are  strong  indications  that  it  abounds  in  other 
portions  of  the  Territory." 

The  great  city  of  the  Mormons  in  this  modern 
"  Plain  of  Jordan  " — the  Gomorrah  of  the  nineteenth 
century — is  depicted  by  Dixon,  from  personal  inspec- 
tion : 


ITS   OEIGIN,   EISE,   AND   PEOGEESS.  257 

"  The  city,  which  covers,  we  are  told,  three  thou- 
sand acres  of  land,  between  the  mountains  and  the 
river,  is  laid  out  in  blocks  of  ten  acres  each.  Each 
block  is  divided  into  lots  of  one  acre  and  a  quarter ; 
this  quantity  of  land  being  considered  enough  for  an 
ordinary  cottage  and  garden. 

"  As  yet,  the  temple  is  unfinished  ;  the  foundations 
are  well  laid,  of  massive  granite  ;  and  the  work  is  of 
a  kind  that  bids  fair  to  last ;  but  the  temple  block  is 
covered  with  temporary  buildings  and  erections — the 
old  tabernacle,  the  great  bowery,  the  new  tabernacle, 
and  the  temple  foundations. 

"  The  temple  block  gives  form  to  the  whole  city. 
From  each  side  of  it  starts  a  street,  a  hundred  feet  in 
width,  going  out  on  the  level  plain,  and  in  straight 
lines  into  space.  Streets  of  the  same  width,  and  paral- 
lel to  these,  run  north  and  south,  east  and  west ;  each 
planted  with  locust  and.  ailanthus  trees,  cooled  by  two 
running  streams  of  water  from  the  hillside. 

"  Main  Street  runs  along  the  temple  front ;  a  street 
of  offices,  of  residences,  and  of  trade.  Originally,  it 
was  meant  for  a  street  of  the  highest  rank,  and  bore 
the  name  of  East  Temple  Street ;  upon  it  stood,  besides 
the  temple  itself,  the  council-house,  the  tithing-office, 
the  dwellings  of  Young,  Kimball,  Wells,  the  three 
chief  officers  of  the  Mormon  Church.  Banks,  stores, 
offices,  hotels — all  the  conveniences  of  modern  life — 
are  springing  up  in  Main  Street ;  trees  have  in  many 


258  MOEMONISM  : 

parts  been  cut  down,  for  tlie  sake  of  loading  and  un- 
loading goods  ;  the  trim  little  gardens,  full  of  peach- 
trees  and  apple-trees,  bowering  the  adobe  cottages  in 
their  midst,  have  given  way  to  shop-fronts  and  to 
hucksters'  stalls. 

"  Right  and  left  from  Main  Street,  crossing  it,  par- 
allel to  it,  lie  a  multitude  of  streets,  each  like  its  fel- 
low ;  a  hard,  dusty  road,  with  tiny  becks,  and  rows  of 
locust,  cotton-wood,  and  philarea,  and  the  building- 
land  laid  down  in  blocks.  In  each  block  stands  a  cot- 
tage, in  the  midst  of  fruit-trees.  Some  of  these  houses 
are  of  goodly  appearance  as  to  size  and  style.  Others 
are  mere  cots  of  four  or  five  rooms,  in  which  the  po- 
lygamous families,  should  they  ever  quarrel,  would 
find  it  difficult  to  form  a  ring  and  fight. 

"  In  First  South  Street  stand  the  theatre  and  the 
city  hall,  both  fine  structures,  and  for  Western  Amer- 
ica remarkable  in  style.  The  city  hall  is  used  as 
headquarters  of  police,  and  as  a  court  of  justice.  Tbe 
Mormon  police  are  swift  and  silent,  with  their  eyes  in 
every  corner,  their  grip  on  every  rogue.  In  the  win- 
ter months  there  are  usually  seven  or  eight  hundred 
miners  in  Salt  Lake  City. 

"  The  city  has  two  sulphur-springs,  over  which 
Brigham  Young  has  built  wooden  shanties.  One  bath 
is  free.  The  water  is  refreshing  and  relaxing,  the  heat 
ninety-two  degrees. 

"  No  beggar  is  seen  in  the  streets;  scarcely  ever  a 


ITS   OEIGm,   EISE,   AND  PEOGKESS.  259 

tipsy  man ;  and  the  drunken  fellow,  when  you  see  one, 
is  always  either  a  miner  or  a  soldier — of  course  a  gen- 
tile. No  one  seems  poor.  The  people  are  quiet  and 
Civil,  far  more  so  than  is  usual  in  these  Western  parts. 
"  The  air  is  wonderfully  pure  and  bright.  Rain 
seldom  falls  in  the  valley,  though  storms  occur  in  the 
mountains  almost  daily ;  a  cloud  coming  up  in  the 
western  hills,  rolling  along  the  crests,  and  threatening 
the  city  with  a  deluge  ;  but  when  breaking  into  wind 
and  showers,  it  seems  to  run  along  the  hill-tops  into 
the  Wasatch  chain,  and  sail  away  eastward  into  the 
snowy  range." 


260  MOEMONISM 


CHAPTER  XVI. 

Modified  Theology— Young's  Wealth— Polygamy  and  Spiritual  Mar- 
riage— The  Prophet's  Harem — Mormon  Abominations. 

The  theology  of  tlie  "  saints  "  is  subject  to  change 
by  "  revelation  "  at  the  caprice  of  the  prophet.  The 
latest  version  is  given  by  Mrs.  Waite  : 

"  There  are  many  gods,  and  they  are  of  both  sexes. 
But  to  us  there  is  but  one  God — the  Father  of  man- 
kind, and  the  Creator  of  the  earth. 

"  Men  and  women  are  literally  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  God — our  spirits  having  been  literally 
begotten  by  God,  in  the  heavenly  world,  and  having 
been  after Avard  sent  to  the  earth,  and  invested  with 
these  tabernacles. 

"  God  is  in  the  form  of  man.  He  has  a  body,  com- 
posed of  spiritual  matter.  There  is  no  diiference  be- 
tween matter  and  spirit,  except  in  quality.  Spirit  is 
matter  refined. 

"God  is  omnipotent,  but  not  personally  omni- 
present. He  is  everywhere  present  by  his  Holy 
Spirit.     His  personality  is  generally  expressed  by  the 


ITS    OEIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  261 

phrase  *He  has  body,  parts,  and  passions.'  He  re- 
sides in  the  centre  of  the  universe,  near  the  planet 
Kolob.  This  planet  revohes  on  its  axis  once  in  a 
thousand  of  our  years,  and  one  revolution  of  the  Kolob 
is.  a  day  to  the  Almighty. 

"  Jesus  Christ  was  the  Son  of  God,  literally  be- 
gotten by  the  Father,  and  had  the  Spirit  of  God  in 
the  body  of  a  man.  After  his  resurrection,  he  had  a 
body  of  flesh  and  bones  only,  typical  of  man's  resur- 
rected body.  He  differs  in  nothing  from  the  Father, 
except  in  age  and  authority — the  Father  having  the 
seniority,  and  consequently  the  right  to  preside. 

"  The  Holy  Spirit  is  a  subtle  fluid,  like  efectricity. 
It  is  the  subtlest  form  of  matter,  and  pervades  all 
space.  By  its  agency,  all  miracles,  so  called,  are  per- 
formed. Miracles  are  simply  the  effects  of  the  opera- 
tion of  natural  laws.  But  they  are  laws  of  a  higher 
character  than  those  with  which  we  are  acquainted. 
This  Holy  Spirit  is  communicated  by  the  laying-on  of 
hands  by  one  of  the  properly  authorized  priesthood, 
and  the  recipient  is  then  enabled  to  perform  wonder- 
ful things,  according  to  his  gift — some  having  the  gift 
of  prophecy,  some  of  healing,  some  of  speaking  in  un- 
known tongues,  etc. 

"There  are  three  heavens — the  telestial,  the  ter- 
restrial, and  the  celestial. 

"  The  telestial  and  terrestrial  heavens  are  to  be  oc- 
cupied by  the  various  classes  of  persons  who  have  nei- 


262  MORMONISM  : 

ther  obeyed  nor  rejected  the  gospel.     The  telestial  is 
typified  by  the  stars — the  terrestrial  by  the  mooD. 

"  The  celestial,  or  highest  heaven,  has  for  its  type 
the  sun,  and  is  reserved  for  those  who  received  the 
testimony  of  Jesus,  and  believed  on  his  name,  and 
were  baptized  by  one  having  authority  from  him,  and 
who  afterward  lived  a  holy  life. 

"  The  earth,  as  purified  and  refined,  after  the 
second  coming  of  Christ,  is  to  be  the  final  habitation 
of  those  entitled  to  the  glories  of  the  celestial  king- 
dom. Jerusalem  is  to  be  rebuilt,  and  Zion,  or  the 
N"ew  Jerusalem,  is  to  be  built  in  Jackson  County, 
Missouri,*whence  the  saints  were  expelled  in  1833. 

"There  is  a  fourth  class  of  persons,  not  entitled  to 
either  of  these  heavens.  They  are  those  who  sin 
against  the  Holy  Ghost ;  that  is,  those  who  apostatize 
after  receiving  the  Holy  Spirjt.  These  go  into  ever- 
lasting punishment,  to  remain  with  the  devil  and  his 
angels. 

*  "  The  gospel,  which  people  are  called  upon  to 
obey,  in  order  to  gain  a  place  in  the  celestial  king- 
dom, is :  first,  they  must  believe  in  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  Son  of  God,  and  in  his  authorized  priesthood ; 
secondly,  they  must  repent  of  their  sins ;  thirdly, 
they  must  be  baptized  by  immersion  for  the  remission 
of  their  sins ;  and,  fourthly,  they  must  receive  the  lay- 
ing-on  of  hands  for  the  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"  God,  having  become  nearly  lost  to  man,  revived 


rrs  ORIGIN, 


263 


his  work,  by  revealing  himself  to  Joseph  Smith,  and 
conferring  upon  him  the  keys  of  the  everlasting  priest- 
liood — thus  making  him  the  mediator  of  a  IsTew  Dis- 
pensation, which  is  immediately  to  precede  the  second 
coming  of  Christ.  All  those  who  recognize  the  divine 
authority  of  Smith,  and  are  baptized  by  one  having 
authority,  are  the  chosen  people  of  God,  who  are  to 
introduce  the  millennium,  and  to  reign  with  Christ  on 
earth  a  thousand  years." 

The  Church  organization,  under  the  prevailing 
spiritual  and  temporal  rule,  is  thus  epitomized : 

^' First.  The  First  Presidency.  This  consists  of 
three,  chosen  from  those  who  hold  the  high-priesthood 
and  apostleship,  and  its  office  is  to  preside  over  and 
direct  the  affairs  of  the  whole  Church.  It  consists  of 
a  President  and  two  Counsellors.  The  President  is 
also  seer,  revelator,  translator,  and  prophet.  He  rules 
in  all  spiritual  and  temporal  affairs. 

"  Secondly.  The  Apostles.  These  are  to  build  up, 
organize,  and  preside  over  churches,  administer  the 
ordinances,  etc. 

"  Thirdly.  The  Seventies.  The  quorums  of  the 
Seventies  are  to  travel  in  all  the  world,  preach  the 
gospel,  and  administer  its  ordinances  and  blessings. 
There  is,  also,  the  Patriarch,  wkose  duty  is  to  bless 
the  fatherless,  to  prophesy  what  shall  befall  them,  etc. 

''Fourthly.  High-Priests  and  Elders.  The  high- 
priest  is  to  administer  the  ordinances,  and  preside 


264:  MOKMONISM  : 

over  tlie  stakes  of  the  Church;  that  is,  over  the 
churches  established  abroad.  The  elders  are  to 
preach  and  baptize;  to  ordain  other  elders,  also 
priests,  teachers,  and  deacons.  All  the  foregoing 
officers  are  of  the  Melchizedek  priesthood. 

"  Fifthly.  The  Aaronic  priesthood,  which  includes 
the  offices  of  bishop,  priest,  preacher,  and  deacon. 

"  The  bishop  presides  over  all  the  lesser  offices  of 
the  Aaronic  priesthood,  ministers  in  outward  ordi- 
nances, conducts  the  temporal  business  of  the  Church, 
and  sits  in  judgment  on  transgressors. 

"  The  priest  is  to  preach,  baptize,  administer  the 
sacrament  of  the  Lord's  Supper,  and  visit  and  exhort 
the  saints. 

"  The  teacher  is  to  watch  over  and  strengthen  the 
Church. 

"  The  deacon  is  to  assist  the  teacher. 

"  There  is  also  a  High  Council,  consisting  of  twelve 
high-priests,  with  a  president.  The  office  of  the  coun- 
cil is  to  settle  all  important  difficulties. 

"  The  priesthood  comes  direct  from  heaven,  and 
was  lost  to  man,  until  the  keys  of  both  orders  of  the 
priesthood  were  given  to  Joseph  Smith,  by  an  angel 
from  heaven,  in  1829.  After  the  death  of  Smith,  they 
came  into  the  hands  oi  Brigham  Young." 

All  these  officers  are  but  mediums  for  the  trans- 
mission of  the  will  of  the  president.  Nor  is  it  con- 
fined to  spiritual  affairs.     Under  the  form  of  a  church 


ITS   ORIGIN,   EISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  265 

organization,  this  system  absorbs  not  only  the  re- 
ligious, but  all  the  civil  and  political  liberty  of  the 
individual  member.  The  High  Council  forms  an  ap- 
parent check  on  the  power  of  the  president;  but  when 
it  is  considered  that  this  body  is  composed  of  persons 
nearest  the  president,  and  under  his  immediate  influ- 
ence and  control  in  other  relations  in  the  same  organ- 
ization— as  high-priests,  etc. — it  will  be  seen  that  the 
check  is  only  nominal,  and  forms  no  real  protection  to 
the  rights  of  the  people.* 

The  orders  of  the  priesthood — the  Melchizedek  and 
Aaronic — are  the  same  as  adopted  under  Smith's  ad- 
ministration at  Kirtland,  as  before  explained  (chap- 
ter X.) 

Brigham  Young  has  reached  his  sixty-sixth  year. 
As  the  ruling  President  of  the  "  Church  of  Latter- 
Day  Saints  of  Jesus  Christ " — the  successor  of  Joseph 
Smith,  Jr.,  to  the  celestial  pretensions  of  prophet, 
Beer,  and  revelator — to  the  mandates  of  whose  revela- 
tions all  Mormondom  yields  willing  obedience — his 
notoriety  and  power  are  scarcely  second  to  those  of  his 
greater  prototype,  Mohammed.  His  wealth  is  under- 
stood to  be  immense,  and  is  fast  accumulating  from 
tithes  and  speculations.  His  temporal  riches  consist 
of  the  precious  metals,  city  and  rural  estates,  govern- 
ment securities,  and  foreign  investments.  From  the 
European  mission  alone  he  is  said  to  have  secured  for 

*  "Mormon  Prophet." 
12 


266  MOEMONISM  : 

himself  over  half  a  million  dollars  in  gold  through 
the  instrumentality  of  his  tithing  process.  Many  of 
the  foreign  immigrants  bring  large  sums  of  money,  all 
subject  to  his  levies.  The  poor  people  suffer  severely 
by  the  exaction ;  but  in  the  steadfastness  of  their  faith, 
they  bear  the  oppression  without  an  expressed  mur- 
mur as  a  general  fact. 

The  manifold  wives  and  children  of  the  prophet 
constitute  his  visible  spiritual  affluence.  These  bless- 
ings, like  the  first  mentioned,  cannot  be  computed 
with  any  proximity  to  accuracy,  by  the  profane,  per- 
haps not  even  by  himself.  From  the  best  data  attain- 
able, his  actual  wives  in  polygamy — the  women  who 
live  in  his  houses  and  in  his  harem — who  are  the 
recognized  mothers  of  his  children — are  twelve  in 
number,  including  his  first  or  lawful  wife.  All  but 
one  of  these  have  borne  children  to  him,  varying 
numerically  from  three  to  nine  each,  and  aggregating 
in  number  to  about  sixty  now  living — all  of  whom 
are  well  provided  for  in  respect  to  educational  accom- 
plishments and  in  other  ways.  Two  of  his  elder  sons 
have  been  employed  in  the  foreign  missionary  service, 
and  one  of  these,  as  elsewhere  stated,  was  gaining 
converts  in  London,  at  the  latest  accounts.  The 
spiritual  or  "sealed"  wives  of  Young,  it  is  said 
(probably  with  truth),  cannot  be  counted  by  any 
authority;  and  at  Salt  Lake  it  is  a  very  wise  child 
that  knows  its  own  father, 


ITS   OEIGm,   EISE,    AND   PEOGRESS.  267 

Polygamy  is  not  universal  in  Mormondom.  The 
question  of  matrimonial  plurality  is  governed  by  a 
man's  pecuniary  ability  to  support  more  than  one 
wife,  or  by  the  choice  of  parties.  But  every  member 
of  the  priesthood  is  expected  to  obey  revelation  in 
this  particular,  and  all  of  the  higher  order  have  two 
or  more  wives  each,  the  number  being  accordiug  to 
the  grade  of  office  or  wealth  of  the  elder.  Heber  C. 
Kimball  and  Daniel  Wells,  who,  with  Young,  are  the 
three  constituting  the  "  First  Presidency,"  are  next  to 
the  prophet  in  the  scale  of  numerical  wifery,  though 
it  is  said  there  is  no  record  kept  in  this  department 
of  their  domestic  relations.  The  Twelve  Apostles 
have  fewer  blessings  than  their  superiors,  being  thus 
stated  on  Mormon  authority :  Orson  Hyde,  four  wives ; 
Orson  Pratt,  four  wives ;  John  Taylor,  seven  wives ; 
Milford  Woodruff,  three  wives ;  George  A.  Smith 
(cousin  of  the  late  prophet),  five  wives;  Amasa  Ly- 
man, five  wives;  Ezra  Benson,  four  wives;  Charles 
Rich,  seven  wives  ;  Lorenzo  Snow,  three  wives  ; 
Erastus  Snow,  three  wives ;  Franklin  Richards,  four 
wives ;  George  Q.  Cannon,  three  wives.  These  state- 
ments do  not  embrace  the  spiritual  ensealments  of  the 
apostles,  but  only  the  wives  living  in  family  unity. 
The  numbers  of  their  children  are  unknown. 

This  ancient  Jewish  institution  of  polygamy  (prac- 
tised only  by  portions  of  the  Turks,  Asiatics,  Africans, 
North  American  savages,  and  Mormons),  is  the  pro- 


268  MOEMONISM  : 

lific  source  of  schism  and  discontent  among  the 
"  saints."  Many  of  the  backslidings  and  apostasies 
from  the  Church,  estimated  at  an  aggregate  of  twenty- 
thousand,  are  traceable  chiefly  to  this  cause.  More- 
over, various  combinations  of  dissenters  have  arisen 
for  the  same  and  other  reasons,  under  the  names  of 
Strangites,  Mon-isites,  Gladdenites,  and  Josephites, 
who  occupy  localities  outside  of  the  Salt  Lake  juris- 
diction, under  their  own  independent  theocratic  gov- 
ernments, while  they  neverthess  adhere  to  the  primi- 
tive Mormon  faith.  These  have  their  separate  leaders, 
denying  as  they  do  the  pretensions  of  the  prophet 
usurper. 

Young  is  exceedingly  revengeful  against  all  apos- 
tates and  those  Avho  in  any  manner  question  his  di- 
vinity ;  and  this  last  offence,  unretracted,  is  certain  to 
be  punished  by  abandonment  to  the  "buffetings  of 
Satan."  In  a  sermon  on  this  head,  the  prophet  ex- 
pressed himself  in  this  manner : 

"  When  a  man  comes  right  out  like  an  independent 
devil,  and  says,  '  Damn  Mormonism  and  all  the  Mor- 
mons,' and  is  off  with  himself,  I  say  he  is  a  gentleman  by 
the  side  of  a  nasty,  sneaking  apostate,  who  is  opposed 
to  nothing  but  Christianity.  I  say  to  the  former,  *  Go 
in  peace,  sir,  and  prosper  if  you  can.'  But  we  have  a 
set  of  spirits  here  worse  than  such  a  character"  (al- 
luding to  doubters). 

The  revelation  of  Smith  at  Nauvoo  in   1844,  as 


ITS     OKIGIN,   EISE,   AND   PEOGRESS.  269 

given  elsewhere  (chap,  xii.),  but  first  published  at 
Salt  Lake  in  1852,  forms  the  groundwork  of  the  in- 
stitution of  polygamy  as  sustained  by  the  Church 
under  Young's  administration.  Prior  to  its  appear- 
ance in  the  Deseret  JVews,  it  was  announced  to  the 
Church  by  Apostle  Orson  Pratt,  and  thus  referred 
to  by  Prophet  Young  : 

"You  heard  Brother  Pratt  state,  this  morning, 
that  a  revelation  would  be  read  this  afternoon  which 
was  given  previous  to  Joseph's  death.  It  contains  a 
doctrine  which  a  small  portion  of  the  world  is  opposed 
to;  but  I  can  deliver  a  revelation  upon  it.  Though 
that  doctrine  has  not  been  preached  by  the  elders, 
this  people  have  believed  in  it  for  years." 

Young's  harem  is  a  long,  three-story  frame  building, 
including  a  stone  basement.  It  has  a  spacious  hall  ex- 
tending the  entire  length  through  the  centre  of  each 
story,  with  rooms  on  either  side  for  the  occupants  in 
their  various  employments.  Its  cost  was  about  thirty 
thousand  dollars,  in  addition  to  the  free  labor  bestowed 
by  command  of  the  owner,  "  in  the  name  of  the  Lord, 
and  by  the  authority  of  the  holy  priesthood."  Be- 
side the  private  parlors  and  bedrooms  for  the  wives 
and  "other  women,"  with  the  children,  comprising 
the  polygamous  household,  it  has  a  spacious  dining- 
room,  a  school-room,  two  receiving-parlors,  a  kitchen, 
weaving-room,  laundry,  coachman's  room,  etc.  It  has 
also  a  private  office  for  the  prophet,  connected  with 


270  MOEMONISM  : 

which  is  his  "  sanctum  sanctorum^''  or  celestial  bed- 
room, which  is  to  be  entered  by  no  one  without  his 
special  permission.  Mrs.  Waite,  in  her  history  of  the 
prophet,  gave  the  names  and  j^ersonal  descriptions  of 
twenty-four  women  who  lived  in  the  harem  at  the 
time  of  her  recent  residence  in  Salt  Lake  City,  not 
including  the  first  and  lawful  wife,  with  her  children, 
who  occupy  a  house  by  themselves.  Most  of  the  in- 
mates have  some  sort  of  industrial  pursuit — for  "  in- 
dustry "  is  Young's  motto — the  various  employments 
being  cooking,  Avashing,  needlework,  French  and 
music  teaching,  poetry-writing,  taking  care  of  the 
children,  receiving  company,  and  attending  to  the 
diversified  commands  of  the  host  of  the  harem. 

There  is  also  an  endowment-house  connected  with 
the  tabernacle,  in  which  washings,  anointings,  spirit- 
ual-wife sealings,  and  other  mystic  ceremonies,  are 
performed  by  those  in  authority. 

The  marriage  law  is  thus  explained :  A  man  who 
has  a  wife  already,  must  first  seek  the  prophet's  advice 
before  making  proposals  for  another,  and  through  him 
obtain  a  revelation  in  favor  of  his  intention  ;  next  he 
must  obtain  the  consent  of  the  parents,  and  then  con- 
sult the  lady  herself  The  president,  in  his  discretion, 
may  overrule  any  objection  raised  by  the  first  wife, 
and  cither  divorce  her  or  "  damn  "  her  for  persistence 
in  her  opposition.  All  things  being  ready  for  the 
solemnity,   the  parties — i.   e.,   the  bridegroom   and 


ITS   OEIGm,   EISE,   AND   PROGRESS.  .      271 

bride,  with  the  legal  wife — are  arranged  before  the 
president  of  the  Church : 

"The  president  then  puts  this  question  to  the 
wife :  '  Are  you  willing  to  give  this  woman  to  your 
husband,  to  be  his  lawful  and  wedded  wife,  for  time 
and  all  eternity  ?  If  you  are,  you  will  manifest  it  by 
placing  her  right  hand  within  the  right  hand  of  your 
husband.'  The  right  hands  of  the  bridegroom  and 
the  bride  being  thus  joined,  the  wife  takes  her  hus- 
band by  the  left  arm,  as  if  in-the  attitude  of  walking. 
The  president  then  proceeds  to  ask  the  following  ques- 
tions of  the  man :  '  Do  you,  brother  (calling  him  by 
name),  take  sister  (calling  the  bride  by  name)  by  the 
right  hand,  to  receive  her  unto  yourself,  to  be  your 
lawful  and  wedded  wife,  and  you  to  be  her  lawful  and 
wedded  husband,  for  time  and  for  all  eternity,  with  a 
covenant  and  promise  on  your  part  that  you  will  fulfil 
all  the  laws,  rites,  and  ordinances  pertaming  to  this 
holy  matrimony,  in  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant 
— doing  this  in  the  presence  of  God,  angels,  and  these 
witnesses,  of  your  own  free  will  and  choice  ? '  The 
bridegroom  answers,  '  Yes.'  The  president  then  puts 
the  question  to  the  bride  :  '  Do  you,  sister  (calling  her 
by  name),  take  brother  (calling  him  by  name)  by  the 
right  hand,  and  give  yourself  to  him  to  be  his  lawful 
and  wedded  wife,  for  time  and  for  all  eternity,  with  a 
covenant  and  promise,  on  your  part,  that  you  will  ful- 
fil all  the  laws,  rites,  and  ordinances  pertaining  to 


272      .  MOEMOITISM  : 

this  holy  matrimony,  in  the  new  and  everlasting  cove- 
nant— doing  this  in  the  presence  of  God,  angels,  and 
these  witnesses,  of  your  own  free-will  and  choice  ? ' 
The  bride  answers,  *  Yes.'  The  president  then  says  : 
*  In  the  name  of  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  and  by  the 
authority  of  the  holy  priesthood,  I  jDronounce  you 
legally  and  lawfully  husband  and  wife,  for  time  and 
all  eternity  ;  and  I  seal  upon  you  the  blessings  of  the 
holy  resurrection,  with  power  to  come  forth  in  the 
morning  of  the  first  resurrection,  clothed  with  glory, 
immortality,  and  eternal  lives ;  and  I  seal  upon  you 
the  blessings  of  thrones,  and  dominions,  and  princi- 
palities, and  powers,  and  exaltations ;  together  with 
the  blessings  of  Abraham,  Isaac,  and  Jacob  ;  and  say 
unto  you,  be  fruitful  and  multiply,  and  replenish  the 
earth,  that  you  may  have  joy  and  rejoicing  in  your 
posterity,  in  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  All  these 
blessings,  together  with  all  other  blessings  pertaining 
to  the  new  and  everlasting  covenant,  I  seal  upon  your 
heads,  and  enjoin  your  faithfulness  unto  the  end,  by 
the  authority  of  the  holy  priesthood,  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Amen.' " 

This  is  the  ordinary  marriage  ceremony,  and  aj)- 
plies,  Tv^ith  slight  variations  to  suit  the  facts,  equally 
in  cases  of  polygamy  or  monogamy.  There  is  a 
higher  degree  in  the  temple  mysteries,  into  which 
the  favored  ones  are  initiated,  called  the  "  Order  of 


ITS   OEIGIN",    RISE,    Ai^D    PBOGEESS.  273 

the  Cloistered  Saints,"  thus  explained  by  seceding 
Mormons : 

"When  an  apostle,  high-priest,  elder,  or  scribe, 
conceives  an  affection  for  a  female,  and  has  ascer- 
tained her  views  on  the  subject,  he  communicates 
confidentially  to  the  prophet  his  love-affair,  and  re- 
quests him  to  inquire  of  the  Lord  whether  or  not  it 
would  be  right  and  proper  for  him  to  take  unto  him- 
self this  woman  for  his  spiritual  wife.  It  is  no  ob- 
stacle whatever  to  this  spiritual  marriage,  if  one  or 
both  of  the  parties  should  happen  to  have  a  husband 
or  wife  already,  according  to  the  gentile  laws  of  the 
land. 

"The  prophet  puts  the  singular  question  to  the 
Lord,  and  if  he  receive  an  answer  in  the  affirmative, 
which  is  always  the  case  when  the  parties  are  in  favor 
with  the  president,  the  parties  assemble  in  the  lodge- 
room,  accompanied  by  a  duly-authorized  adminis- 
trator, and  place  themselves  kneeling  before  the  altar. 
The  administrator  commences  the  ceremony  by  say- 
ing: 'You  separately  and  jointly,  in  the  name  of 
Jesus  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  do  solemnly  covenant 
and  agree,  that  you  will  not  disclose  any  matter  re- 
lating to  the  sacred  act  now  in  progress  of  consum- 
mation, whereby  any  gentile  shall  come  to  the  knowl- 
edge of  the  secret  purposes  of  this  order,  or  whereby 
the  saints  may  suffer  persecution,  your  lives  being  the 

forfeit.' 

12* 


274:  MOEMONISM  I 

"  Then  comes  the  ceremony  of  marriage,  after  which 
the  parties  leave  the  cloister,  with,  generally,  a  firm 
belief,  at  least  on  the  part  of  the  female,  in  the  sa- 
credness  and  validity  of  the  ceremonial,  and  con- 
sider themselves  as  united  in  spiritual  marriage,  the 
duties  and  ijrivileges  of  which  are  in  no  particular 
different  from  those  of  any  other  marriage  cove- 
nant." 

Extended  particulars  of  this  ceremony  have  been 
disclosed,  which  may  and  may  not  be  literally  true, 
for  none  but  initiates  are  supposed  to  be  qualified 
fully  to  unveil  the  secrets  of  the  cloister ;  but  it  is 
believed  the  foregoing  will  suffice  for  the  reader. 
This  spiritual  wifeism  is  held  to  be  a  very  solemn 
affair  by  the  Mormon  dignitaries.  The  bride-saint 
may  have  another  husband,  and  if  he  happen  to  be  a 
gentile,  it  is  deemed  quite  essential  that  the  "seal- 
ing "be  performed  in  this  sworn  manner.  The  women 
thus  entrapped  are  generally  young  and  ignorant,  and 
made  to  believe  that  their  salvation  depends  on  em- 
bracing this  Mormon  doctrine. 

President  Young  usually  officiates  on  these  occa- 
sions, though  Kimball,  the  second  in  the  presidency, 
and  also  such  of  the  bishops  as  may  from  time  to  time 
be  commissioned  by  the  ^n'ophet,  are  permitted  to  per- 
form these  marriage  services.  Divorces  are  of  fre- 
quent occurrence,  granted  only  by  Young ;  and  this 
is  supposed  to  be  a  good  source  of  revenue,  the  lowest 


ITS   OEIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PEOGEESS.  275 

fee  being  ten  dollars.  And  no  man  is  allowed  to  leave 
his  wife  or  wives  without  a  divorce. 

"  How  do  the  Mormon  women  like  and  bear 
polygamy  ?  "  Mr.  Bowles,  upon  knowledge  derived 
from  personal  observation  and  interviews  with  the 
people  concerned,  answers  this  question  : 

"The  universal  testimony  of  all  but  theii*  hus- 
bands is,  that  it  is  a  grievous  sorrow  and  burden ; 
only  cheerfully  submitted  to  and  embraced  under  a  re- 
ligious fanaticism  and  self-abnegation  rare  to  behold, 
and  possible  only  to  women.  They  are  taught  to 
believe,  and  many  of  them  really  do  believe,  that 
through  and  by  it  they  secure  a  higher  and  more 
glorious  reward  in  the  fliture  world.  *  Lord  Jesus 
has  laid  a  heavy  trial  upon  me,'  said  one  poor  woman, 
'  but  I  mean  to  bear  it  for  His  sake,  and  for  the  glory 
He  will  grant  me  in  His  kingdom.'  This  is  the  com- 
mon wail,  the  common  solace.  Such  are  the  teach- 
ings of  the  Church ;  and  I  have  no  doubt  both  hus- 
bands and  wives  alike  often  honestly  accept  this  view 
of  the  odious  practice,  and  seek  and  submit  to  polyg- 
amy as  really  God's  holy  service,  calculated  to  make 
saints  of  themselves  and  all  associated  with  them  in 
the  future  world. 

*'  In  some  cases  they  live  harmoniously  and  lov- 
ingly together;  oftener,  it  would  seem,  they  have 
separate  parts  of  the  same  house,  or  even  separate 
houses.     The  first  wife  is  generally  the  recognized 


276  MOEMONISM  : 

one  of  society,  and  frequently  assumes  contempt  for 
the  others,  regarding  them  as  concubines,  and  not 
wives.  But  it  is  a  dreadful  state  of  society  to  any 
one  of  fine  feelings  and  true  instincts  ;  it  robs  married 
life  of  all  its  sweet  sentiment  and  companionship;  and 
while  it  degrades  woman,  it  brutalizes  man,  teaching 
him  to  despise  and  domineer  over  his  wives,  over  all 
women.  It  breeds  jealousy,  distrust,  and  tempts  to 
infidelity ;  but  the  police  system  of  the  Church  and 
the  community  is  so  strict  and  constant,  that  it  is 
claimed  and  believed  the  latter  vice  is  very  rare. 
The  effect  upon  the  children  cannot  help  being  de- 
basing, however  well  they  may  be  guarded  and 
educated."  , 

The  tithing  system  is  the  great  support  of  the 
Church  and  of  its  rulers.  It  was  the  main  source  of 
the  wealth  that  had  been  accumulated  by  Smith  at 
the  period  of  his  death ;  his  successor  has  doubtless 
largely  exceeded  him  in  this  particular.  The  original 
tithing  revelation  by  Smith  has  been  modified  and 
strengthened  by  Young.  Every  adult  immigrant  or 
new-comer  joining  the  Church,  is  expected  to  pay 
one-tenth  of  his  or  her  entire  possessions,  and  careful 
inventories  of  theii*  whole  property  of  every  kind  are 
made  for  this  purpose,  by  a  bishop  and  clerk  from  the 
tithing-ofiice.  This  levy  is  paid  in  cash  when  possi- 
ble. The  penalty  for  non-payment  is  exclusion  from 
the  Church  and  from  all  spiritual  blessings. 


ITS   ORIGIN,    RISE,    AND   PROGRESS.  277 

An  immigrant  fund  is  founded  for  the  aid  of 
"  saints "  coming  to  the  new  Jerusalem  from  foreign 
countries,  which  is  made  up  by  the  tithing  system. 
A  fixed  tariff  of  rates  is  observed  in  the  tithe  levies 
upon  all  new  converts,  and  also  upon  members  of  the 
Church  in  Utah  desirous  to  be  joined  by  their  friends 
abroad.  This  fund  is  under  the  exclusive  control  of 
the  great  autocrat  of  Salt  Lake ;  and  it  is  supposed 
to  be  another  fruitful  source  of  his  personal  revenue. 
Terrible  hardships,  not  previously  dreamed  of  by  im- 
migrants, are  often  endured  by  them  in  their  journey 
across  the  plains — so  that  they  are  apt  to  be  quite 
content  with  their  new  Mormon  home  when  they 
reach  it ;  and  it  is  then  too  late  to  change  their  des- 
tiny, if  they  wish  to  do  so. 

The  Mormons  have  an  organized  militia,  of  which 
Young  assumes  the  command,  as  "  Governor  of  the 
State  of  Deseret."  The  Nauvoo  Legion,  an  inde- 
pendent battalion  first  raised  by  Smith  in  Illinois,  is 
attached  to  the  same  general  command.  Though,  as 
has  been  seen,  these  forces  have  on  several  occasions 
been  called  to  meet  detachments  of  the  army  of  the 
United  States,  no  actual  collision  has  at  any  time  oc- 
curred. Young  fights  valiantly  in  his  "  sermons,"  but 
is  careful  to  avoid  the  disagreeable  odor  of  constitu- 
tional gunpowder.  General  Conner  is  in  command  of 
the  Federal  forces  in  Utah  Territory,  with  his  head- 
quarters at  Camp  Douglas. 


278  MOEMONISM  : 

A  secret  organization  of  desperadoes  called  Dan- 
ites  is  among  the  institutions  of  Salt  Lake.  They  are 
a  sort  of  standing  picket-guard,  or  vigilance  commit- 
tee ;  their  province  is  to  keep  an  espionage  upon  the 
movements  of  the  Federal  Territorial  officers  ;  and  in 
any  case  requiring  desperate  action,  the  biddings  of 
the  j^rophet  as  communicated  to  their  leader,  are  in- 
stantly obeyed.  They  are  also  "avenging  angels," 
held  in  readiness  to  retaliate  any  offences  against  the 
Church  or  its  president  by  apostates  or  others.  Secret 
assassinations  have  been  charged  against  them,  and 
in  fact  no  other  explanation  has  ever  been  given 
for  many  instances  of  horrid  murder  of  apostates 
and  gentiles  perpetrated  in  the  vicinity  of  Salt 
Lake. 

As  the  conclusion  of  this  historic  review,  the 
"  revelation "  is  believingly  proclaimed,  that  the  ac- 
cumulating elements  of  self-dissolution  inherent  in 
the  system  of  the  Mormon  brotherhood  are  certain 
to  work  out  the  ultimate  disenthralment  of  the  fanat- 
ic masses  from  the  absolutism  now  controlling  their 
minds  and  action,  with  the  final  and  ignominious 
downfall  of  the  imposture  theocracy.  And  is  it  an 
irrational  "prophecy,"  that  such  termination  of  its 
abominations  and  criminalities  will  not  much  longer  be 
procrastinated,  by  any  means  short  of  another  "  mar- 
tyrdom "  or  the  cementmg  influences  of  some  similar 
intervention  for  the  preservation  of  the  guilty  sect 


ITS   OEIGIN,   KISE,   AND   PEOGEESS.  279 

profaning  the  name  of  religion  ?  that  the  point  of  time 
will  soon  be  reached,  when  the  Great  Jehovah  shall 
pronounce  the  irrevocable  fiat  to  the  Mormon  impos- 
tors, "  Thus  far  shalt  thou  come,  but  no  farther — and 
here  shall  thy  proud  waves  be  stayed  "  ? 


APPEE^DIX. 


LETTER    OF   HON.    STEPHEN   S.    HAEDING,   LATE   GOV- 
ERNOR   OF    UTAH   TERRITORY. 

Milan,  Indiana,  Junel,  1867. 
PoMEROY  Tucker,  Esq.  : 

My  Dear  Sir, — Your  letter  of  23d  was  received  on  my 
coming  home  from  court  last  night.  I  entirely  approve 
your  plan  of  Mormon  history,  beginning  as  you  do  with  its 
origin  in  the  illusory  tricks  of  Joe  Smith,  which  he  had 
practised  upon  his  superstitious  followers  for  years  anterior 
to  his  Golden  Bible  "vision,"  and  before  he  had  dreamed  of 
becoming  a  "prophet."  I  knew  Smith,  and  also  Martin 
Harris  and  Oliver  Cowdery,  with  some  of  their  fanatical 
associates  at  and  around  Palmyra,  and  heard  much  of  their 
early  delusions,  and  can  appreciate  the  importance  to  the 
civilized  world  of  your  forthcoming  narrative.  It  has  lon^ 
been  needed  to  complete  the  history  of  Latter-Day  Saintism, 
and  it  has  been  a  matter  of  wonder  to  me  that  such  a  dis- 
closure of  the  great  pretension,  showing  the  nothingness  of 
its  groundwork,  was  not  written  up  years  ago.  With  your 
facilities  for  performing  this  service — ^your  personal  knowl- 


APPEKDIX.  281 

edge  of  the  whole  imposture  and  its  authors— you  cannot 
fail  in  iDroducing  a  work  of  general  interest  and  popular 
favor.  I  will  proceed  at  once  to  answer  your  inquiries  so 
far  as  I  can. 

PARLEY    p.    PRATT. 

This  important  character  in  the  origin  of  the  Mormon 
Church  was  assassinated  in  Arkansas,  in  1856  or  '57,  by  the 
enraged  husband  of  a  woman  who  had  been  converted  by 
the  missionary  labors  of  the  victim,  while  they  were  at- 
tempting flight  to  Salt  Lake.  I  believe  the  assassin  was 
acquitted  on  some  preliminary  investigation,  and  his  "  con- 
verted" wife  was  permitted  to  pursue  her  journey  to  Salt 
Lake,  where  she  is  now  living  with  the  "  saints."  She  left 
several  children,  as  well  as  her  husband,  at  her  forsaken 
home.  Orson  Pratt,  a  brother  of  the  deceased,  is  among 
the  leading  men  of  the  Mormon  Church,  and  is  accepted  as 
second  in  scholarship  to  none  in  the  brotherhood. 

THE    TEMPLE    PROJECT. 

I  cannot  tell  you  the  exact  dimensions  of  the  proposed 
temple.  It  is  immense  in  its  plan,  on  paper,  but  will  prob- 
ably never  be  built.  The  foundation  is  laid,  and  that  is 
about  all  that  has  been  done  upon  the  structure,  though  the 
tithing  for  this  "  great  work  of  the  Lord  "  is  not  neglected. 
The  basement  or  foundation-walls  are  eighteen  feet  high 
and  twelve  feet  thick,  composed  of  dressed  stone  in  heavy 
blocks.  Should  the  temple  ever  be  completed  according  to 
the  original  design,  it  would  be  the  most  massive  church 


282  APPENDIX. 

edifice  on  this  continent,  perhaps  not  inferior  to  St.  Peter's 
of  Rome. 

PLACES    OF    MORMON   WORSHIP. 

The  two  principal  places  of  worship  are  within  the  Tem- 
ple Block,  consisting  of  the  Tabernacle,  a  large  structure 
used  in  the  inclement  seasons,  and  the  Bowery,  which  is  a 
canopy  made  of  the  boughs  of  trees,  ample  for  the  seating 
of  five  or  six  thousand  people.  The  semi-annual  conferences, 
in  the  spring  and  fall,  are  held  in  the  Bowery.  I  have  often 
seen  every  inch  of  the  room  in  this  vast  amphitheatre  packed 
with  human  beings,  with  eager  eyes  turned  to  the  sacred 
platform,  where  "Brother  Brigham"  and  the  other  high 
functionaries  of  the  Mormon  hierarchy  utter  their  fulmina- 
tions  against  the  unrepentant  gentile  world.  With  all  this, 
there  is  really  excellent  music — a  full  choir  of  well-trained 
singers  of  both  sexes — accomj^anied  by  a  first-class  band  of 
wind  and  string  instruments.  The  scene  is  sometimes  inde- 
scribably grand  in  a  theatrical  sense.  Young  evidently 
knows  and  feels  the  strength  of  his  power  over  his  vast 
body  of  worshippers. 

POPULATION    OF    THE    CITY    AND    TERRITORY. 

The  population  of  Utah  at  this  time  must  be  over  one 
hundred  thousand — the  number  of  Mormons  alone  cannot 
fall  far  short  of  that  figure.  Great  Salt  Lake  City  now  con- 
tains nearly  or  quite  twenty  thousand  souls.  The  gentiles 
in  the  Territory  probably  number  two  thousand.  When  I 
first  arrived  in  Utah,  in  1863,  there  was  not  more  than  one 
gentile  to  one  thousand  MoiTQons.    I  am  unable  to  answer 


APPENDIX.  283 

your  question  how  many  Mormons  there  are  "in  all  cre- 
ation," but  I  have  heard  it  announced  in  a  seemingly  boast- 
ful spirit,  on  the  stands  at  the  Tabernacle  and  the  Bowery, 
that  there  were  five  hundred  thousand  "  saints  "  in  Europe, 
and  that  the  numbers  were  continually  increasing  by  the  in- 
strumentality of  the  missionary  labors.  Probably  a  million 
is  a  reasonable  estimate  for  the  whole  number  of  converts 
from  the  beginning,  including  those  who  have  apostatized. 

THE    CHURCH    AND    POLYGAMY. 

The  Church  of  Latter-Day  Saints  is  believed  to  be  the 
most  powerful  organization,  religious  or  political,  that  has 
been  founded  in  modem  history.  Its  absolutism  is  com- 
plete and  crushing.  The  people  are  peculiarly  industrious 
and  temperate  in  their  habits— owing,  probably,  in  a  large 
degree  to  the  fact  that  in  the  first  settlement  of  the  country 
they  were  required  to  work  or  perish,  thus  early  contracting 
tbe  habits  that  distinguish  their  community.  Polygamy  is 
not  universal  in  Mormon  households,  the  question  being  left 
to  individual  choice,  rather  than  to  any  compulsory  Church 
dogma.  It  .is  chiefly  among  the  official  and  aspiring  mem- 
bers of  the  Church  and  the  "well-to-do"  "saints,"  that  the 
plural-wife  system  is  adopted.  As  a  general  thing  the  Mor- 
mon women  condemn  it,  including  those  connected  with  its 
practice,  as  well  as  the  more  positive  resistants  of  "the 
faith." 

THE    prophet's    TITHING    RESOURCES. 

Young  possesses  extraordinary  executive  abilities.  In 
the  name  of  the  temple  and  other  public  enterprises,  his 


284:  APPENDIX. 

titliing  exactions  are  enforced  with  unvarying  strictness, 
and  with  little  if  any  visible  murmuring  among  those  who 
bear  the  burden.  Every  thing  is  subject  to  the  system,  from 
the  tenth  egg  to  the  tenth  horse,  and  from  the  tenth  cent  to 
the  tenth  dollar — the  poor  girl  who  works  out  by  the  week, 
and  the  rich  farmer  or  money-lender,  being  indiscriminately 
subject  to  this  tithe  levy  "in  the  Lord's  name."  All  these 
resources  go  into  Brother  Brigham's  hands,  and  he  is  never 
required  to  make  a  report  or  exhibit  a  balance-sheet  to  his 
disciples.  He  has  thus  received  millions  upon  millions  of 
money,  besides  untold  amounts  in  i^roperty  values  of  every 
descrijDtion.  Is  it  any  wonder  that  his  private  coffers  are 
ample  for  the  affluent  maintenance  of  his  sixty  wives  and 
one  hundred  and  fifty  children,  more  or  less  ? 

PIONEER    MORMONS SACRED    RELIC. 

When  I  was  in  Palmyra  in  1829,  I  went  with  Joe  Smith, 
at  his  special  request,  to  his  father's  house,  in  company  with 
Martin  Harris  and  Oliver  Cowdery,  for  the  purpose  of  hear- 
ing read  his  wonderful  "  translations  "  from  the  sacred  plates. 
This  was  before  these  revelations  had  been  given  to  the 
world  in  the  printed  "  Book  of  Mormon."  Subsequently, 
after  the  printing  contract  had  been  concluded  between 
Grandin  and  Harris,  I  was  in  the  printing-office  with  your- 
self, and  also  the  three  pioneer  Mormons  named,  when  the 
proof-sheet  of  the  first  form  of  the  book,  including  the  title- 
page,  was  revised  by  you.  A  corrected  impression  of  it  was 
passed  around  to  the  young  i)roi3het  and  his  attendant  dis- 
ciples, all  of  whom  appeared  to  be  delighted  with  the  dawn- 


APPENDIX.  285 

ing  of  tlie  new  gospel  dispensation,  and  it  was  accepted  by 
Smith  as  "according  to  revelation."  By  consent  of  the 
brotherhood,  you  finally  gave  this  "  revise  sheet "  to  me  as 
a  curiosity,  and  I  retained  it  until  some  two  years  after 
Smith's  murder,  and  before  the  Mormons  had  gone  to  Utah, 
when  it  was  bestowed  by  me  upon  a  grateful  wandering 
"saint"  of  the  name  of  Eobert  Campbell,  who  had  been 
cared  for  over  night  at  my  present  residence.  This  "  sacred 
relic  "  is  now  among  the  archives  in  the  "  Historian's  Office  " 
at  Salt  Lake  City. 

COMMAND    TO    PREACH    THE    MORMON    GOSPEL. 

You  ask  me  to  write  my  recollections  of  the  "  call "  to 
preach  the  Mormon  gospel,  as  "  revealed "  to  Calvin  Stod- 
dard in  1829.  I  can  do  so  with  as  distinct  a  remembrance 
as  if  that  unjustifiable  act  of  a  "  wild  and  fast  young  man  " 
had  occurred  yesterday.  I  can  never  forget  it,  for  I  was  al- 
most as  badly  scared,  before  I  had  got  done  with  the  mis- 
chief, as  poor  Calvin  was  ;  and  I  have  never  to  this  day  been 
quite  satisfied  with  my  conduct.  I  was  especially  led  to 
play  the  trick  by  the  strange  credulity  which  Martin  Harris 
had  manifested  the  same  day,  as  we  walked  together  to  hear 
Lorenzo  Dow  preach  in  Palmyra.  Added  to  this  induce- 
ment, Calvin  had  previously  told  me  of  the  wonderful 
things  he  had  seen  in  the  sky,  and  of  his  serious  impres- 
sions about  his  duty  to  preach  the  new  gospel.  My  j)urpose 
was  to  try  an  experiment  in  delusion,  upon.  Joe  Smith's  prin- 
ciple, merely  for  my  own  amusement  and  instruction.  The 
main  story  is  the  same  as  you  have  related  it  in  the  extract 


286  APPENDIX. 

of  your  manuscript  sent  me,  and  it  need  not  be  repeated  in 

this  letter I  remained  at  the  door  only  for  a 

moment,  long  enough  to  hear  the  startled  Mormon  saint  in 
his  fright  cry  out  to  his  Maker  in  supplication  for  mercy  and 
promise  of  obedience ;  when,  taking  to  my  heels,  no  young 
scapegrace  ever  did  taller  running^  in  proportion  to  loco- 
motive capacity,  than  I  did  that  dark  night.  I  was  stopping 
for  a  few  days  as  a  guest  with  my  relative,  Mr.  Hill,  in  the 
vicinity,  and  gained  access  to  my  room  about  eleven  o'clock 
without  discovery Pale  and  haggard  in  appear- 
ance, from  lack  of  sleep  or  i^erhaps  from  re^Dentance  for  his 
former  disobedience,  Stoddard  was  early  the  next  morning 
in  the  fulfilment  of  the  "  command  "  among  his  neighbors, 
relating  in  the  most  earnest  manner  the  marvellous  partic- 
ulars of  the  miracle  of  which  he  was  the  "chosen"  subject. 
He  repeated  the  words  of  the  "  celestial  messenger  "  as  ad- 
dressed to  him,  with  entire  accuracy,  and  said  they  were 
communicated  amid  the  roaring  thunders  of  heaven  and  the 
musical  sounds  of  angels'  wings.  For  aught  I  have  ever 
heard  since,  he  held  out  to  the  end  faithful  to  his  ministerial 
calling  in  the  Mormon  cause.  Sincerely  regretting  my  mis- 
chievous experiment — for  I  really  began  to  feel  conscientious 
qualms  about  it — I  sought  to  relieve  my  fanatic  friend  of 
his  delusion,  by  the  suggestion  that  probably  some  unprin- 
cipled person  had  imposed  upon  him,  advising  him  to  give 
no  heed  to  the  trick ;  but  I  found  that  no  such  theory  could 
be  made  available  for  my  well-intended  purpose,  for  he  had 
"spiritual"  evidences  on  the  subject  that  were  above  any 
human  testimony !  .  .  .  .  Poor  Stoddard  has  gone  to 
his  final  account.    Peace  to  his  ashes  !    If  that  thoughtless 


APPENDIX.  28T 

act  of  my  boyhood,  thirty-eight  years  ago,  caused  him  one 
hour's  unhappiness,  or  contributed  in  any  degree  to  a  single 
conversion  to  Mormonism,  may  He  who  "  tempers  the  wind 
to  the  shorn  lamb  "  look  upon  my  offence  not  in  anger,  but 
in  mercy,  for  I  know  that  I  did  not  intend  to  do  a  pre- 
meditated wrong  to  any  one. 

Truly  yours, 

STEPHEN  S.  HARDD^TG. 


STATEMENT    OF  THE    LATE    EEV.   JESSE  TOWNSEND. 

For  the  following  sketch  of  the  origin  of  the  Mormon 
imposture,  and  of  its  leader  "  Joe  Smith  "  and  his  early  asso- 
ciates and  dupes,  the  author  of  this  work  is  indebted  to  the 
kindness  of  Mrs.  Peerine,  daughter  of  the  writer,  the  late 
Rev.  Jesse  Townsend.  It  is  the  original  manuscript  of  a 
letter  written  at  its  date,  by  Mi-.  Townsend,  in  answer  to 
inquiries  for  information  addressed  to  him  by  Mr.  Phineas 
Stiles,  of  Wendell,  Franklin  County,  Massachusetts,  in  No- 
vember, 1833,  who  set  forth  that  two  men  from  Ohio  were 
actively  engaged  in  his  town  and  vicinity,  and  with  an 
alarming  degree  of  success,  in  efforts  to  disseminate  among 
the  people  and  in  the  churches,  "  a  new  revelation  and  a 
new  religion,  which  they  call  the  Mormon  religion,"  and  that 
they  "pretend  to  be  inspired  and  empowered  by  God  to 
teach "  the  same.  This  statement  of  Mr.  Townsend,  made 
soon  after  the  Mormon  advent,  now  first  published,  may  be 
regarded  as  a  further  important  authentication  of  the  fore- 
going pioneer  history  of  the  sect  of  people  now  become 
so  prosperous  and  powerful  in  Utah  Territory. 


APPENDIX. 

Palmyra,  Wayne  County,  N.  Y.,  December  24,  1833. 
Mr.  Phdteas  Stiles  : 

Dear  Sir, — Your  letter  of  29th  ultimo,  requesting  infor- 
mation concerning  the  class  of  jDeople  called  Mormonites, 
has  been  received,  and  the  following  is  a  sketch  of  their 
history : 

This  new  sect  was  commenced  by  Joseph  Smith,  Jr.,  in 
the  vicinity  of  this  village  some  four  years  ago,  and  the 
statement  I  give  you  is  the  truth^  incredible  as  it  may 
appear  to  you,  and  shows  the  folly  and  weakness  of  the 
people  who  have  listened  to  and  heeded  the  impositions 
and  falsehoods  propagated  by  Smith  and  his  associates  in 
iniquity. 

I  begin  with  the  leader,  "  Joe,"  as  he  is  and  always  has 
been  called  here.  For  the  ten  years  I  have  known  any  thing 
of  him,  he  has  been  a  person  of  questionable  character,  of 
intemperate  habits,  and  latterly  a  noted  money-digger.  He 
lived  in  a  sequestered  neighborhood,  where,  with  his  dupes, 
his  impostures  and  low  cunning  gave  him  a  reputation  for 
being  "smart."  He  has  had  a  stone,  into  which,  when 
placed  in  a  hat,  he  pretended  to  look  and  see  chests  of 
money  buried  in  the  earth.  He  was  also  a  fortune-teller^ 
and  he  claimed  to  know  where  stolen  goods  went — probably 
too  well. 

Smith  flattered  a  few  of  his  jjeculiar  fraternity  to  engage 
with  him  in  digging  for  money.  After  a  while,  many  of 
these  got  out  of  patience  with  his  false  pretensions  and  re- 
peated failures;  and,  finally,  to  avoid  the  sneers  of  those 
who  had  been  deceived  by  him,  he  pretended  that  he  had 
found,  in  digging  alone,  a  wonderful  curiosity,  which  he 


APPENDIX.  289 

kept  closely  secreted.  After  telling  different  stories  about 
it,  and  applying  to  it  different  names,  lie  at  length  called  it 
the  golden  -plates  of  the  Booh  of  Mormon.  As  lie  was  ques- 
tioned on  the  subject  from  tiine  to  time,  bis  story  assumed  a 
more  uniform  statement,  the  term  finally  given  to  the  mar- 
vellous treasure  being  the  "  Golden  Bible." 

In  the  mean  time,  Joe  visited  a  visionary  fanatic  by  the 
name  of  Martin  Harris,  and  told  him  he  had  received  some 
golden  plates  of  ancient  records  from  the  Lord,  with  a 
"  revelation  "  to  call  on  him  for  fifty  dollars  to  enable  him 
to  go  to  Pennsylvania  and  translate  the  contents  of  the 
plates ;  at  the  same  time  telling  Harris  that  the  Lord  had 
revealed  to  him  that  they  (Smith  and  Harris)  were  the  only 
honest  men  in  the  world.  This  at  once  took  with  the  dupe, 
who  had  specially  prided  himself  on  his  honesty ;  and  the 
wily  deceiver  understood  this  fact ;  he  knew  this  was  the  as- 
sailable point  in  his  victim's  visionary  mind.  The  delicious 
bait  was  greedily  swallowed  ;  and  the  fifty  dollars  was  soon 
put  into  the  hands  of  Smith,  who  cleared  for  Pennsylvania 
or  elsewhere. 

At  that  time  Martin  Harris  was  worth  five  or  six  thou- 
sand dollars,  while  the  Smiths  were  not  worth  a  cent.  The 
latter  used  Martin's  money  freely  ;  and  some  other  men,  hav- 
ing a  great  dislike  to  labor,  joined  Joe  m  his  deceptions, 
among  whom  was  a  sort  of  schoolmaster  named  Cowdery, 
who  assisted  him  in  vmting  or  transcribing  the  "  Book  of 
Mormon,"  as  a  pretended  translation  of  the  golden  plates 
which  he  affirmed  he  had  been  directed  by  the  Spirit  of  the 
Lord  to  dig  from  the  earth.  This  was  all  done  in  the  most 
secret  manner.  At  the  same  time  it  was  assumed  to  the  un- 
13 


390  APPENDIX. 

initiated  that  it  would  be  "  immediate  death  "  for  any  except 
the  translators  to  see  the  plates.  Poor  Martin's  faith  was 
apparently  strengthened  by  this  pretension,  but  afterward 
the  "command"  was  modified,«and  he  claimed  to  have  seen 
the  plates  with  "  spiritual  eyes."  * 

This  Harris,  who  is  or  has  been  second  in  authority  among 
the  Mormonites,  was  an  industrious  fanner,  living  near  this 
village,  who  had  been  unfortunate  in  the  choice  of  a  wife,  or 
she  had  been  in  that  of  a  husband.  Like  his  leader,  he  gives 
to  their  preachers  the  power  to  j)reach  and  put  their  prose- 
lytes under  water  by  authority  of  the  new  "revelation."  He 
has  whipped  his  wife  and  beaten  her  so  cruelly  and  frequently, 

that  she  was  obliged  to  seek  refuge  in  separation 

He  is  considered  here,  to  this  day,  a  brute  in  his  domestic 
relations,  a  fool  and  dupe  to  Smith  in  religion,  and  an  un- 
learned, conceited  hypocrite,  generally.  He  paid  for  print- 
ing the  Book  of  Mormon,  which  exhausted  all  his  money 
and  most  of  his  projDerty.  Since  he  went  to  Ohio  he  has 
attempted  to  get  another  wife,  though  it  is  believed  he  was 
frustrated  in  this  design  by  the  discovery  of  his  having  a 
living  wife  here. 

All  the  Mormonites  have  left  this  part  of  our  State,  and 
so  loaljDable  is  their  imposture  that  nothing  is  here  said  or 
thought  of  the  subject,  except  when  inquiries  from  abroad 
are  occasionally  made  concerning  them.  I  know  of  no  one 
now  living  in  this  section  of  country  that  ever  gave  them 
credence.     Joe  Smith  dare  not  come  to  Palmyra,  from  fear 

*  Mr.  Townsend,  at  the  date  of  his  letter,  had  not  lea?:ned  of 
the  connection  of  Rigdon  and  the  Spaulding  manuscript  with  this 
matter. 


APPENDIX,  291 

of  his  creditors ;  for  he  ran  away  to  avoid  their  just  de- 
mands. 

You,  sir,  may  think  we  treat  this  matter  lightly ;  but  I 
give  you  a  correct  statement.  You  have  asked  for  the  facts, 
and  I  give  them.  "We  consider  the  founders  and  propagators 
of  the  Mormon  "  religion  "  simply  as  base  impostors,  whose 
sectarian  assertions  are  false  and  absurd. 

Respectfully  yours,  etc., 

JESSE  TOWNSEND. 


"WAE  BOMANCE   OF   MORMONISM. 

AccoRDma  to  the  Mormon  fable — alias  the  Spaulding 
romance  or  Joe  Smith  revelation — the  people  inhabiting  our 
American  continent  in  its  wilderness  state  were  very  warlike 
tribes,  especially  the  Nephites  and  Lamanites  (see  chapter 
viii.)  A  melancholy  history  of  their  military  and  si^iritual 
dealings  is  presented  in  the  following  brief  collection  from 
different  books  of  the  "  Book  of  Mormon,"  which  will  repay 
perusal  by  the  admirer  of  the  marvellous,  whether  he  accept 
the  narrative  in  the  light  of  fiction  or  fact : 

EXTRACTS  FROM  THE   BOOK  OF  MORMON. 

"And  now  it  came  to  pass  that  I,  Enos,  went  about 
among  the  people  of  Nephi,  prophesying  of  things  to  come, 
and  testifying  of  the  things  which  I  had  heard  and  seen. 
And  I  bare  record  that  the  people  of  Nephi  did  seek  dili- 
gently to  restore  the  Lamanites  unto  the  true  faith  in  God. 
But  our  labors  were  vain ;  their  hatred  was  fixed,  and  they 


292  APPENDIX. 

were  led  by  their  evil  nature,  that  they  became  wild  and 
ferocious,  and  a  bloodthirsty  people ;  full  of  idolatry  and 
filthiness ;  feeding  upon  beasts  of  prey,  dwelling  in  tents, 
and  wandering  about  in  the  wilderness,  with  a  short  skin 
girded  about  their  loins,  and  their  heads  shaven  ;  and  their 
skill  was  in  the  bow,  and  the  cimeter,  and  the  axe.  And 
many  of  them  did  eat  nothing  save  it  was  raw  meat;  and 
they  were  continually  seeking  to  destroy  us. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  people  of  ISTephi  did  till 
the  land,  and  raise  all  manner  of  grain,  and  of  fruit,  and 
flocks  of  herds,  and  flocks  of  all  manner  of  cattle,  of  every 
kind,  and  goats,  and  wild  goats,  and  also  much  horses. 
And  there  were  exceeding  many  prophets  among  us.  And 
the  people  were  a  stiff-necked  people,  hard  to  understand. 
And  I  saw  wars  between  the  Nephites  and  the  Lamanites  in 
the  course  of  my  days.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  began 
to  be  old,  and  an  hundi'ed  and  seventy-and-nine  years  had 
passed  away  from  the  time  that  our  father  Lehi  left  Jeru- 
salem, And  as  I  saw  that  I  must  soon  go  down  to  my 
grave,  having  been  wrought  upon  by  the  power  of  God,  that 
I  must  preach  and  jDrophesy  unto  this  j)eople,  and  declare 
the  word  according  to  the  truth  which  is  in  Christ." — Book 
of  Ems. 

"  And  now,  behold,  two  hundred  years  had  j^assed  away, 
and  the  people  of  Kephi  had  waxed  strong  in  the  land. 
They  observed  to  keep  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  Sabbath- 
day  holy  unto  the  Lord.  And  they  profaned  not ;  neither 
did  they  blaspheme.  And  the  laws  of  the  land  were  exceed- 
ing strict.  And  they  were  scattered  upon  much  of  the  face 
of  the  land,  and  the  Lamanites  also.     And  they  were  ex- 


APPENDIX.  293 

ceeding  more  uiimerons  than  were  they  of  the  Nephites; 
and  they  loved  murder,  and  would  drink  the  blood  of 
beasts. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  they  came  many  times  against 
us,  the  Nephites,  to  battle.  But  our  kings  and  our  leaders 
were  mighty  men  in  the  faith  of  the  Lord  ;  and  they  taught 
the  people  the  ways  of  the  Lord ;  wherefore,  we  withstood 
the  Lamanites,  and  swept  them  away  out  of  om*  lands,  and 
began  to  fortify  our  cities,  or  whatsoever  place  of  our  inher- 
itance. And  we  multiplied  exceedingly  and  spread  upon 
the  face  of  the  land,  and  became  exceeding  rich  in  gold, 
and  in  silver,  and  in  precious  things,  and  in  fine  workman- 
ship of  wood,  in  buildings,  and  in  machinery,  and  also  in 
iron,  and  coj^per,  and  brass,  and  steel,  making  all  manner 
of  tools  of  every  kind  to  till  the  ground,  and  weapons  of 
war ;  yea,  the  sharp-pointed  arrow,  and  the  quiver,  and  the 
dart,  and  the  javelin,  and  all  i3reparations  for  war ;  and  thus 
being  prepared  to  meet  the  Lamanites,  they  did  not  prosper 
against  us," — Book  of  Jarom. 

"  I,  Zeniff,  having  been  taught  in  all  the  language  of  the 
Nephites,  and  having  had  a  knowledge  of  the  land  of  N'ei3hi, 
or  of  the  land  of  our  fathers'  first  inheritance,  and  I  having 
been  sent  as  a  spy  among  the  Lamanites,  that  I  might  spy 
out  their  forces,  that  our  army  might  come  upon  them  and 
destroy  them  ;  but  when  I  saw  that  which  was  good  among 
them,  I  was  desirous  that  they  should  not  be  destroyed ; 
therefore  I  contended  with  my  brethren  in  the  wilderness : 
for  I  would  that  our  ruler  should  make  a  treaty  with  them. 
But  he,  being  an  austere  and  a  bloodthirsty  man,  commanded 
that  I  should  be  slain  ;  but  I  was  rescued  by  the  shedding 


294  APPENDIX, 

of  much  blood,  for  father  fought  against  father,  and  brother 
against  brother,  until  the  greatest  number  of  our  army  was 
destroyed  in  the  wilderness ;  and  we  returned,  those  of  us 
that  were  spared,  to  the  land  of  Zarahemla,  to  relate  that 
tale  to  their  wives  and  their  children.  And  yet,  I  being 
over-zealous  to  inherit  the  land  of  our  fathers,  collected  as 
many  as  were  desirous  to  go  up  to  possess  the  land,  and 
started  again  on  our  journey  into  the  wilderness  to  go  up  to 
the  land ;  but  we  were  smitten  with  famine  and  sore  afflic- 
tions :  for  we  were  slow  to  remember  the  Lord  our  God.  .  .  . 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  I  did  arm  them'  with  bows, 
and  with  arrows,  with  swords,  and  with  cimetefs,  and  with 
clubs,  and  with  slings,  and  with  all  manner  of  weapons 
which  we  could  invent,  and  I  and  my  people  did  go  forth 
against  the  Lamanites  to  battle  ;  yea,  in  the  strength  of  the 
Lord  did  we  go  forth  to  battle  against  the  Lamanites  :  for  I 
and  my  people  did  cry  mightily  to  the  Lord  that  he  would 
deliver  us  out  of  the  hands  of  our  enemies,  for  we  were 
awakened  to  a  remembrance  of  the  deliverance  of  our 
fathers.  And  God  did  hear  our  cries,  and  did  answer  our 
prayers  ;  and  we  did  go  forth  in  his  might.  Yea,  we  did  go 
forth  against  the  Lamanites  ;  and  in  one  day  and  a  night  we 
did  slay  three  thousand  and  forty-three  ;  we  did  slay  them, 
even  until  we  had  driven  them  out  of  our  land.  And  I," 
myself,  with  mine  own  hands,  did  help  to  bury  their  dead. 
And  behold,  to  our  great  sorrow  and  lamentation,  two  hun- 
dred and  seventy-nine  of  our  brethren  were  slain." — Book  of 
Mosidh. 

"  And  it  came  to  pass  that  the  Lamanites  made  prej)ara- 
tions  for  war,  and  came  up  to  the  land  of  Kephi  for  the  pur- 


APPENDIX. 


295 


pose  of  destroying  tlie  king  and  to  place  another  in  his  stead, 
and  also  of  destroying  the  people  of  anti-Nephi-Lehi  out  of 
the  land.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  when  the  people  saw 
that  they  were  coming  against  them,  they  went  out  to  meet 
them,  and  prostrated  themselves  before  them  to  the  earth, 
and  began  to  call  on  the  name  of  the  Lord ;  and  thus  they 
w^re  in  this  attitude  when  the  Lamanites  began  to  fall  upon 
them,  and  began  to  slay  them  with  the  sword ;  and  thus, 
without  meeting  any  resistance,  they  did  slay  a  thousand 
and  five  of  them ;  and  we  know  that  they  are  blessed,  for 
they  have  gone  to  dwell  with  their  God.  Now  when  the 
Lamanites  saw  that  their  brethren  would  not  flee  from  the 
sword,  neither  would  they  turn  aside  to  the  right  hand  or 
to  the  left,  but  that  they  would  lay  down  and  perish,  and 
praised  God  even  in  the  very  act  of  perishing  under  the 
sword ;  now  when  the  Lamanites  saw  this,  they  did  forbear 
from  slaying  them  ;  and  there  were  many  whose  hearts  had 
swollen  in^them  for  those  of  their  brethren  who  had  fallen 
under  the  sword,  for  they  repented  of  the  things  which  they 

had  done 

"  And  now  it  came  to  pass  that  after  the  people  of  Am- 
mon  were  established  in  the  land  of  Jershon,  and  a  Church 
also  established  in  the  land  of  Jershon  ;  and  the  armies  of 
the  Nephites  were  set  round  about  the  land  of  Jershon  ;  yea, 
in  all  the  borders  round  about  the  land  of  Zarahemla ;  be- 
hold, the  armies  of  the  Lamanites  had  followed  their  brethren 
into  the  wilderness.  And  thus  a  tremendous  battle  :  yea, 
even  such  an  one  as  never  had  been  known  among  all  the 
people  in  the  land  from  the  time  that  Lehi  left  Jerusalem  ; 
yea,  and  tens  of  thousands  of  the  Lamanites  were  slain  and 


296  APPEITDIX.  • 

scattered  abroad.  Yea,  aud  also  there  was  a  tremendous 
slaughter  among  the  people  of  Nephi ;  nevertheless,  the 
Lamanites  were  diiveu  and  scattered,  aud  the  people  of  Ne- 
phi  returned  again  to  their  land 

"  And  it  came  to  jDass  that  the  Lamanites  came  up  on  the 
north  of  the  hill  where  a  part  of  the  army  of  Moroni  was 
concealed.  And  as  the  Lamanites  had  passed  the  hill  Rep- 
lah,  and  came  into  the  valley,  and  began  to  cross  the  river 
Sidon,  the  army  which  was  concealed  on  the  south  of  the 
hill,  which  was  ted  by  a  man  whose  name  was  Lehi ;  and  he 
led  his  army  forth  and  encircled  the  Lamanites  about  on  the 
east,  in  their  rear. 

"  And  it  came  to  j^ass  that  the  Lamanites,  when  they  saw 
the  Kephites  coming  upon  them  in  their  rear,  tm-ned  them 
about,  and  began  to  contend  with  the  army  of  Lehi ;  and 
the  work  of  death  commenced  on  both  sides ;  but  it  was 
more  dreadful  on  the  part  of  the  Lamanites;  for  their 
nakedness  was  exposed  to  the  heavy  blows  of  the^  Nephites 
with  their  swords  and  their  cimeters,  which  brought  death 
almost  at  every  stroke ;  while  on  the  other  hand  there  was 
now  and  then  a  man  fell  among  the  Nephites  by  their 
swords  and  the  loss  of  blood ;  they  being  shielded  at 
the  more  vital  parts  of  the  body,  or  the  more  vital  jDarts  of 
the  body  being  shielded  from  the  strokes  of  the  Lamanites 
by  their  breastjDlates,  and  their  arm-shields,  and  their  head- 
plates  ;  and  thus  the  Nephites  did  carry  on  the  work  of 
death  among  the  Lamanites." — Book  of  Alma. 

"  And  there  was  a  great  famine  upon  the  land,  among  all 
the  people  of  Nephi.  And  thus,  in  the  seventy-and-fourth 
year,  the  famine  did  continue,  and  the  work  of  destruction 


APPEITDIX.  ►  297 

did  cease  by  the  sword,  but  became  sore  by  famine.  And 
this  work  of  destruction  did  also  continue  in  the  seventy- 
and-fifth  year.  For  the  earth  was  smitten,  that  it  was  dry, 
and  did  not  yield  forth  grain  in  the  season  of  grain ;  and 
the  whole  earth  was  smitten,  even  among  the  Lamanites  as 
well  as  among  the  jSTephites,  so  that  they  were  smitten  that 
they  did  perish  by  thousands  in  the  more  wicked  parts  of 
the  land." — Book  of  Helaman. 

"  And  now  I  finish  my  record  concerning  the  destruction 
of  my  people,  the  JSTephites.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  we 
did  march  forth  before  the  Lamanites.  And  I,  Mormon, 
wrote  an  epistle  unto  the  king  of  the  Lamanites,  and  de- 
sired of  him  that  he  would  grant  unto  us  that  w^e  might 
gather  together  our  people  unto  the  land  of  Camorah,  by  a 
hill  which  was  called  Camorah,  and  there  we  would  give 
them  battle 

"  And  it  came  to  jDass  that  my  people,  with  their  wives 
and  their  children,  did  now  behold  the  armies  of  the  Laman- 
ites marching  toward  them  ;  and  with  that  awful  fear  of 
death  which  fills  the  breasts  of  all  the  wicked,  did  they 
await  to  receive  them.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  they  came 
to  battle  against  us,  and  every  soul  was  filled  with  terror  be- 
cause of  the  greatness  of  their  numbers.  And  it  came  to 
pass  that  they  did  fall  upon  my  peo^Dle  with  the  sword,  and 
with  the  bow,  and  with  the  arrow,  and  with  the  axe,  and 
with  all  manner  of  weapons  of  war.  And  it  came  to  pass 
that  my  men  were  hewn  down,  yea,  even  my  ten  thousand 
which  were  with  me,  and  I  fell  wounded  in  the  midst ;  and 
they  passed  by  me  that  they  did  not  put  an  end  to  my  life. 
And  when  they  had  gone  through  and  hewn  down  all  my 

13* 


298  APPENDIX. 

people  save  it  were  twenty-and-four  of  us  (among  whom 
was  my  son  Moroni),  and  we  having  survived  the  dead  of 
our  i^eople,  did  behold  on  the  morrow,  when  the  Lamanites 
had  returned  unto  their  camps,  from  the  top  of  the  hill  Ca- 
morah,  the  ten  thousand  of  my  people  which  were  hewn 
down,  being  led  in  the  front  by  me ;  and  we  also  beheld  the 
ten  thousand  of  my  people  which  were  led  by  my  son  Mo- 
roni. And  behold,  the  ten  thousand  of  Gidgiddonah  had 
fallen,  and  he  also  in  the  midst ;  and  Lamah  had  fallen  with 
his  ten  thousand  ;  and  Gilgal  had  fallen  with  his  ten  thou- 
sand ;  and  Limhah  had  fallen  with  his  ten  thousand ;  and 
Joneam  had  fallen  with  his  ten  thousand  ;  and  Camenihah, 
and  JMoronihah,  and  Antionum,  and  Shiblom,  and  Shem,  and 
Josh,  had  fallen  with  their  ten  thousand  each." — Bool:  of 
Mormon. 

"  Now  there  began  to  be  a  war  upon  all  the  face  of  the 
land,  every  man  with  his  band,  fighting  for  that  which  he 
desired.  And  there  were  robbers,  and,  in  fine,  all  manner  of 
wickedness  upon  all  the  face  of  the  land.  And  it  came  to 
jDass  that  Coriantumr  was  exceeding  angry  with  Shared,  and 
he  went  against  him  with  his  armies  to  battle  ;  and  they  did 
meet  in  great  anger  ;  and  they  did  meet  in  the  valley  of  Gil- 
gal ;  and  the  battle  became  exceeding  sore.  And  it  came  to 
pass  that  Shared  fought  against  him  for  the  space  of  three 
days.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  Coriantumr  beat  him,  and 
did  pm'sue  him  until  he  came  to  the  plains  of  Heshlon.  And 
it  came  to  pass  that  Shared  gave  him  battle  again  upon  the 
plains ;  and  behold,  he  did  beat  Coriantumr,  and  drove  him 
back  again  to  the  valley  of  Gilgal.  And  Coriantumr  gave 
Shared  battle  again  in  the  valley  of  Gilgal,  in  the  which  he 


APPENDIX.  299 

beat  Shared,  and  slew  liim.  And  Shared  wounded  Corian- 
tumr  in  his  thigh,  that  he  did  not  go  to  battle  again  for  the 
space  of  two  years,  in  the  which  time  all  the  people  upon  all 
the  face  of  the  land  were  shedding  blood,  and  there  was  none 
to  constrain  them 

"  And  the  battle  became  exceeding  sore,  and  many  thou- 
sands fell  by  the  sword.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  Corian- 
tumr  did  lay  siege  to  the  wilderness,  and  the  brother  of 
Shared  did  march  forth  out  of  the  wilderness  by  night,  and 
slew  a  part  of  the  army  of  Coriantumr,  as  they  were  drunken. 
And  he  came  forth  to  the  land  of  Moron,  and  placed  himself 
upon  the  throne  of  Coriantumr.  And  it  came  to  pass  that 
Coriantumr  dwelt  with  his  army  in  the  wilderness  for  the 
space  of  two  years,  in  the  which  he  did  receive  great  strength 
to  his  army.  And  it  came  to  pass  that  one  of  the  secret  com- 
binations murdered,  him  in  a  secret  pass,  and  obtained  unto 
himself  the  kingdom  ;  and  his  name  Vfas  Lib  ;  and  Lib  was 
a  man  of  great  stature,  more  than  any  other  man  among  all 
the  people 

"  Now  the  name  of  the  brother  of  Lib  was  called  Shiz. 
And  Shiz  pursued  after  Coriantumr,  and  he  did  overthrow 
many  cities,  and  he  did  slay  both  women  and  children,  and 
he  did  burn  the  cities  thereof;  and  there  went  a  fear  of  Shiz 
throughout  all  the  land ;  yea,  a  cry  went  forth  throughout 
the  land  :  Who  can  stand  before  the  army  of  Shiz  ?  Behold, 
he  sweepeth  the  earth  before  him  !     .     .     .     . 

"  And  so  great  and  lasting  had  been  the  war,  and  so  long 
had  been  the  scene  of  bloodshed  and  carnage,  that  the  whole 
face  of  the  land  was  covered  with  the  bodies  of  the  dead ; 
and  so  swift  and  speedy  was  the  wai'  that  there  was  none 


300  APPENDIX. 

left  to  bury  the  dead ;  but  they  did  march  forth  from  the 
shedding  of  blood  to  the  shedding  of  blood,  leaving  the 
bodies  of  men,  women,  and  children,  strewn  upon  the  face 
of  the  land,  to  become  a  prey  to  the  worms  of  the  flesh ; 
and  the  scent  thereof  went  forth  upon  the  face  of  the  land, 
even  upon  all  the  face  of  the  land ;  wherefore  tlie  people  be- 
came troubled  by  day  and  by  night,  because  of  the  scent 
thereof ;  nevertheless,  Shiz  did  not  cease  to  pursue  Corian- 
tumr,  for  he  had  sworn  to  avenge  himself  upon  Coriantumr 
of  the  blood  of  his  brother  which  had  been  slain,  and  the 
word  of  the  Lord  which  came  to  Ether,  that  Coriantumr 
should  not  fall  by  the  sword.  And  thus  we  see  that  the 
Lord  did  visit  them  in  the  fulness  of  his  wrath,  and  their 
wickedness  and  abominations  had  prepared  a  way  for  their 
everlasting  destruction." — BooTc  of  Ether. 


mSTITUTIONS    OF   THE   MOEMOK   METKOPOLIS. 

I^ew  Tabernacle  Completeil — Tlie  great  Unfinislied  Temple — Young* s 
Theory  of  Chrisfs  Second  Coming,  etc. 

A  NEW  Tabernacle,  commenced  by  the  Latter-Day  Saints 
in  18G2,  has  just  been  comj^leted  and  dedicated  to  the  Mor- 
mon service  at  Salt  Lake  City.  It  is  a  large  adobe  edifice, 
plain  in  its  architecture,  and  computed  to  be  ample  for  the 
accommodation  of  eight  thousand  Mormons.  This  structure 
supplies  the  place  of  the  old  Tabernacle  (or  Endowment- 
House),  and  the  Bowery.  It  stands  inside  the  walls  enclos- 
ing the  immense  area  called  "  Temple  Block." 

The  adobes  used  in  this  building,  with  suitable  founda- 
tion and  coping,  are  found  on  trial  to  be  substantial  and 


APPENDIX.  301 

durable  in  a  climate  like  that  of  Utah.  They  are  made  of  a 
peculiar  kind  of  blue  clay  abounding  in  the  Territory,  simi- 
lar in  shape  to  common  brick,  though  larger,  being  sun- 
dried  instead  of  kiln-burnt.  The  theatre,  penitentiary,  and 
most  of  the  buildings  of  the  city,  are  constructed  of  these 
adobes. 

The  great  unfinished  "Temple  of  the  Lord"  is  a  mag- 
nificent project ;  but  beyond  the  erection  of  its  massive  foun- 
dation walls  it  is  little  more  than  a  project.  So  far  as  pro- 
gressed, the  building  is  composed  of  huge  blocks  of  granite, 
hewn  from  the  quarry  at  Cottonwood  Canon,  and  hauled  by 
ox-teams  a  distance  of  eighteen  miles.  An  eye-witness  writes : 
"  One  of  these  blocks  generally  makes  a  load  for  ten  or  twelve 
oxen,  and  tlii'ee  days  are  spent  in  delivering  each  load.  Con- 
template for  a  moment  the  character  and  amount  of  labor 
performed  —  the  innumerable  tons  of  wi'ought  granite  re- 
quired—  and  ask  yourself,  at  what  age  of  the  world  has  like 
obedience  to  '  spiritual  authority '  been  yielded  without  com- 
pensation since  the  building  of  the  pyramids  of  Cheops  and 
Ghizeh  ?  For,  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  all  this  work  is 
done  in  commutation  of  tithes.  And  then  calculate,  if  you 
can,  the  probabilities  in  regard  to  the  period  of  the  future 
when  the  monster  temple,  to  contain  eighteen  thousand  Mor- 
mon saints,  is  to  receive  its  finishing  stone  ! " 

The  theory  inculcated  by  Young,  and  disseminated  by 
his  apostles  and  priesthood,  and  probably  believed  by  their 
deluded  followers,  is,  that  he  is  to  experience  great  mortal 
longevity ;  that  Christ,  at  his  second  coming,  is  to  be  his 
ultimate  successor ;  and  that  this  event  will  occur  when  the 
"  saints  "  shall  have  finished  the  building  of  a  temple  suit- 


302  APPENDIX. 

able  for  tLe  Saviour's  reception,  and  not  before.  His  Ian- 
guage,  as  uttered  from  the  pulpit,  and  literally  reported,  is  : 
"  Wlien  the  temple  is  completed — that  very  day — yes,  that 
very  hour — Christ,  with  his  holy  angels,  and  the  prophets 
and  apostles,  and  Joseph  aud  Hyrum  (meaning  the  Smiths), 
and  all  the  saints  who  have  died  in  the  faith,  and  all  who 
have  obeyed  revealed  authority,  will  come  to  set  up  His 
kingdom  on  earth." 

Of  course  the  arch-impostor  is  sharp  enough  to  prolong 
his  power  and  aggrandizement  by  delaying  the  completion 
of  the  temple  for  many  years  to  come  ;  and,  in  truth,  at  the 
rate  of  progress  that  has  been  made  already,  it  would  take  a 
century  if  not  centuries  to  finish  that  sacred  receptacle.  This 
artifice  essentially  aids  in  the  maintenance  of  a  prestige  and 
dominion  among  his  believers  equal  to  any  requirement  in 
his  own  behalf. 

The  problem  to  be  solved  by  time  and  events,  is  an  inter- 
esting one  for  the  followers  of  truth :  When  the  23resent  auto- 
crat of  Mormondom  shall  come  to  obey  the  inexorable  fiat 
addressed  to  all  living,  as  sooner  or  later  he  must,  "Dust  thou 
art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou  return,"  can  a  mortal  successor 
be  found  who  will  be  able  to  hold  uj)  the  rod  of  power. now 
wielded  over  fanaticism  with  a  degree  of  success  that,  as- 
tonishes the  civilized  world  ? 


THE  END. 


LIST  OF  WORKS 
PUBLISHED  BY  D.  APPLETON  &  CO., 

ISTos.  44r3  Sc  44r5  Broadway,  IS".  ^^. 


'iA  Descri2)tive   Catalogue,  with  full  titles  and  prices,  may  he  Jiad 
gratuitously  on  application. 


About's  Eoman  Question. 

Adams'  Boys  at  Home. 

Edgar  Clifton. 

Addison's  Spectator.    6  vols. 

Adler's  German  and  English  Diction- 
ary. 

Abridged  do,        do.  do. 

German  Reader. 

"        Literature. 

Ollendorff  for  Learning  German, 

Key  to  the  Exercises. 

Iphigenia  in  Tauris. 

After  Icebergs  with  a  Painter. 

Agnel's  Book  of  Chess. 

Aguilar's  Home  Influence, 

Mother's  Recompense, 

Days  of  Bruce.    2  vols. 

Home  Scenes. 

Woman's  Friendship. 

Women  of  Israel.    2  vols. 

Vale  of  Cedars. 

Ahn's  French  Method. 

Spanish  Grammar. 

A  Key  to  same. 

German  Method.    1  vol. 

Or,  separately — First  Course.    1 
vol. 

Second    "  1 

vol. 

Aids  to  Faith.  A  series  of  Essays,  by 
Various  Writers. 

Aikin's  British  Poets.  From  Chaucer 
to  the  Present  Time.    3  vols. 

Album  for  Postage  Stamps. 

Albums  of  Foreign  Galleries;  in  7 
folios. 

Alden's  Elements  of  Intellectual  Phi- 
losophy. 

Alison's  Miscellaneous  Essays. 

Allen's  Mechanics  of  Nature. 

Alsop's  Charms  of  Fancy. 

Amelia's  Poems. 

American  Poets  (Gems  from  the). 

American  Eloquence.  A  Collection 
of  Speeches  and  Addresses.  2 
vols. 

American  System  of  Education : 

1.  Hand- Book    of    Anglo-Saxon 
Root-Words. 

2.  Hand-Book    of   Anglo-Saxon 
Derivatives. 


American  System  of  Education : 

3.  Haud-Book  of  Engrafted  Words. 

Anderson's    Mercantile    Correspond- 
ence. 

Andrews'  New  French  Instructor. 

A  Key  to  the  above. 

Annals  of  San  Francisco. 

Antisell  on  Coal  Oils. 

Anthon's  Law  Student. 

Appletons'  New  American  Cyclopjedia 
of  Useful  Knowledge.     16  vols. 

Annual  Cycloj>agdia,  and  Register 

of  Important  Events  for  18G1, 
'62,  '63,  '64,  '65. 

Cyclopaedia    of  Biography,  For- 
eign and  American. 

Cyclopt'edia  of  Drawing. 

The  same  in  parts : 
Topographical  Drawing. 
Perspective     and    Geometrical 

Drawing. 
Shading  and  Shadows. 
Dra^\ing  Instruments  and  their 

Uses. 
Architectural  Drawing  and  De- 
sign. 
Mechanical  Drawing  and  Design. 

Dictionary  of  Mechanics  and  En- 
gineering.    2  large  vols. 

Railway  Guide. 

American       Illustrated       Guido 

Book.    1  vol. 
Do.    do.,  separately  : 

1.  Eastern   and  Middle  States, 
and  British  Provinces.     1  vol, 

2.  Southern  and  Western  States, 
and  the  Territories.    1  vol. 

Companion  Hand-Book  of  Travel. 

Arabian  Nights'  Entertainments. 
Arnold's  (S.  G.)  History  of  the  State 

of  Rhode  Island.    2  vols. 
Arnold's  (Dr.)  History  of  Rome. 

Modern  History. 

Arnold's  Classical  Series : 

First  Latin  Book. 

First  and  Second  Latin  Book  and 

Grammar. 

Latin  Prose  Composition. 

Cornelius  Nepos. 

Fu-st  Greek  Book. 

Greek  Prose  Composition  Book,  1. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONa 


Arnold's    Greek  Prose    Composition 

Book,  2. 

Greek  Heading  Book. 

Arthurs  (T.  S.)  Tired  of  Housekeeping. 
Ai-thur's  ( W.)  Successful  Merchant. 
At  Anchor;  or.  A  Story  of  our  Civil 

War. 
Atlantic  Library.     7  vols,  in  case. 
Attache  in  Madrid. 
Aunt  Fanny's  Story  Book. 

Mitten  Series.     6  vols,  in  case. 

Night  Cap  Series.    6  vols,  in  case. 

Badois'  English  Grammar  for  French- 
men. 

A  Key  to  the  above. 

Baine's  Manual  of  Composition  and 
Ehetoric. 

Bakeweirs  Great  Facts 

Baldwin's  Flush  Times. 

Party  Leaders. 

Balmanno's  Pen  and  Pencil. 

Bank  Law  of  the  United  States. 

Barrett's  Beauty  for  Ashes. 

Bartlett's  U.  S.  Explorations.     2  vols. 

Cheap  edition.     2  vols,  in  1. 

Barwell's  Good  in  Every  Thing. 

Bassnett's  Theory  of  Storms. 

Baxley's  West  Coast  of  America  and 
Hawaiian  Islands. 

Beach's  Pelavo.     An  Epic. 

Beall  (John  *Y.),  Trial  of 

Beauties  of  Sacred  Literature. 

Beauties  of  Sacred  Poetry. 

Beaumont  and  Fletcher's  Works.  2 
vols. 

Belem's  Spanish  Phrase  Book. 

Bello's  Spanish  Grammar  (in  Spanish). 

Benedicfs  Pam  Through  Europe. 

Benton  on  the  Di-ed  Scott  Case. 

Thirty  Years'  View.     2  vols. 

Debates  of  Congress.     16  vols. 

Bertha  Percy.  By  Margaret  Field. 
12mo. 

Bertram's  Harvest  of  the  Sea.  Eco- 
nomic and  Natural  History  of 
Fishes. 

Bessie  and  Jessie's  Second  Book. 

Beza's  Novum  Testamentum. 

Bibles  in  all  styles  of  bindings  and 
various  prices. 

Bible  Stories,  in  Bible  Language. 

Black's  General  Atlas  of  the  World. 

Bloomfleld's  Farmer's  Boy. 

Blot's  What  to  Eat,  and  llow  to  Cook 
it. 

Blue  and  Gold  Poets.    6  vols,  in  case. 

Boise's  Greek  Exercises. 

. First  Three  Books  of  Xenophon's 

Anabasis. 

Bojcsen's  Greek  and  Eoman  Antiqui- 
ties. 

Book  of  Common  Prayer.  Various 
prices. 

Boone's  Life  and  Adventures. 


Bourne's  OatecWsm  of  the  Steam  En- 
gine. 

Hand-Book  of  the  Steam  Engine, 

Treatise  on  the  Steam  Engine. 

Boy's  Book  of  Modern  Travel. 

Own  Toy  Maker 

Bradford's  Peter  the  Great. 

Bradley's  (Mary  E.)  Douglass  Farm. 

Bradley's  (Chas.)  Sermons. 

Brady's  Christmas  Dream, 

Breakfast,  Dinner,  and  Tea. 

British  Poets.  From  Chaucer  to  the 
Present  Time.    8  large  vols. 

British  Poets.  Cabinet  Edition.  15 
vols. 

Brooks'  Ballads  and  Translations. 

Brown,  Jones,  and  Pobinson's  Tour. 

Bryan's  English  Grammar  for  Ger. 
mans. 

Bryant  &  Stratton's  Ccmmercial  La-w. 

Bryant's  Poems,  Hlustrated. 

Poems.     2  vols. 

Thirty  Poems. 

Poems.     Blue  and  Gold. 

Letters  from  Spain. 

Buchanan's  Administration. 

Buckle's  Civilization  in  England.  2 
vols. 

Essays. 

Bunyan's  Divine  Emblems. 

Burdett's  Chances  and  Changes. 

Never  Too  Late. 

Burgess'  Photograph  Manual.    12mo. 

Burnett  (James  P.)  en  the  Ihirty- 
nine  Articles. 

Burnett  (Peter  H.),  The  Path  which 
led  a  Protestant  Lawyer  to  the 
Catholic  Church, 

Burnouf's  Gramatica  Latina. 

Burns'  (Jabez)  Cyclopadia  of  Sermons. 

Burns'  (Eobert)  Poems. 

Burton's  Cyclopadia  of  Wit  and  Hu- 
mor.    2  vols. 

Butler's  IMartin  Tan  Purcn. 

Butler's  (F.)  Spanifh  Teacher. 

Butler's  (S.)  Hudibras. 

Butler's  (T.  B.)  Guide  to  the  Weather. 

Butler's  (Wm.  Allen)  Two  Millions. 

Byron  Gallery.  The  Gallery  of  By- 
ron Beauties. 

Poetical  Works. 

Life  and  Letters. 

Works.   Illustrated. 

Cceleb's  Laws  and  Practice  of  Whist. 
Ca?sar's  Commentaries. 
Caird's  Prairie  Farming. 
Calhoun's  Works  and  Speeches.  Cvols. 
Campbell's  (Thos.)   Gertrude  of  Wy- 
oming. 

Poems. 

Campbell  (Judge)  on  Shakespeare. 
Canot,  Life  of  Captain. 
Carlyle's  (Thomas)  Essays, 
Carreno'8  Manual  of  Politenesf. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Carreno's  Compendio  del  Manual  de 
Urbanidad. 

Casseday's  Poetic  Lacon. 

Cavendish's  Law3  of  "Whist. 

Cervantes''  Don  Quixote,  in  Spanish, 

Don  Quixote,  in  Ensclish. 

Cesar  L"Histoire  de  Jules,  par  S.  M. 
I.  Napoleon  III.     Vol.  I.,  with 
Maps  and  Portrait.     (French.) 
Cheap  Edition,  without  Maps  and 

Portrait. 
Maps  and  Portrait,  for  cheap  edi- 
tion, in  envelopes. 

Champlin''s  English  Grammar. 

Greek  Grammar, 

Chase  on  the  Constitution  and  Canons. 

Chaucer's  Poems. 

Chevalier  on  Gold. 

Children's  Holidays. 

Child's  First  History. 

Choquet's  French  Composition. 

French  Conversation. 

Cicero  de  Officiis. 

Chittenden's  Eeport  of  the  Peace  Con- 
vention. 

Select  Orations. 

Clarke's  (D.  S.)  Scripture  Promises. 

Clarke's  (Mrs.  Cowden)  Iron  Cousin. 

Clark's  (H.  J.)  Mind  in  Nature. 

Cleaveland  and  Backus'  Villas  and  Cot- 
tages. 

Cleveland's  (H.  W.  S.)  Hints  to  Eifle- 
men. 

Cloud  Crystals.  A  Snow  Flake  Album. 

Cobb's  (J.  B.)  Miscellanies. 

Coe's  Spanish  Drawing  Cards.  10  parts. 

Coe's  Drawing  Cards.    10  parts. 

Colenso  on  the  Pentateuch.    2  vols. 

On  the  Romans. 

Coleridge's  Poems. 

Collins'  Amoor. 

Collins'  (T.  W.)  Humanics. 

Collet's  Dramatic  French  Reader. 

Comings'  Physiology. 

Companion  to  Physiology. 

Comment  on  Parle  a  Paris. 

Congreve's  Comedy. 

Continental  Library.    6  vols,  in  case. 

Cooke's  Life  of  Stonewall  Jackson. 

Cookery,  hy  an  American  Lady. 

Cooley's  Cyclopsiadia  of  Receipts. 

Cooper's  Mount  Vernon. 

Copley's  Early  Friendship. 

Poplar  Grove. 

Cornell's  First  Steps  in  Geography, 

Primary  Geography. 

Intermediate  Geography. 

Grammar  School  Geography. 

High  School  Geosrraphy  and  Atlas. 

High  School  Geography. 

"  "        Atlas. 

Map  Drawing.  12  maps  in  case. 

' Outline  Maps,  with  Key.  13  maps 

in  portfolio. 

—  Or,  the  Key,  separately. 


of 


of 


Cornwall  on  Music. 

Correlation     and     Conservation 

Forces. 
Cortez'  Life  and  Adventures. 
Cotter  on  the  Mass  and  Rubrics. 
Cottin's  Elizabeth ;  or,  the  Exiles 

Siberia. 
Cousin  Alice's  Juveniles. 
Cousin  Carrie's  Sun  Rays. 

Keep  a  Good  Heart. 

Cousin's  Modern  Philosophy.     2  vols. 

On  the  True  and  Beautiful. 

—  Only  Romance. 

Coutan's  French  Poetry. 
Covell's  English  Grammar,    ' 
Cowles'  Exchange  Tables. 
Cowper's  Homer's  Iliad. 

Poems, 


Cox's  Eight  Years  in  Congress,  from 
1S5T  to  1S05. 

Coxe's  Christian  Ballads. 

Creasy  on  the  English  Constitution. 

Crisis  (The). 

Crosby's  (A.)  Geometry. 

Crosby's  (II.)  ffidipus  Tyrannus. 

Crosby's  (W.  H.)  Quintus  Curtius 
Rufus. 

Crowe's  Linny  Lockwood. 

Curry's  Volunteer  Book, 

Cust's  Invalid's  Book. 

Cyclopaedia  of  Commercial  and  Busi- 
ness Anecdotes,    2  vols, 

D'Abrantes'  Memoires  of  Napoleon. 

2  vols. 
Dairyman's  (The)  Daughter. 
Dana's  Household  Poetry. 
Darwin's  Origin  of  Species. 
Dante's  Poenis. 
Dasent's    Popular    Tales    from    the 

Norse. 
Davenport's  Christian  Unity  and  its 

Recovery. 
Dawson's  Archaia. 
De  Belem's  Spanish  Phrase-Book. 
De  Fivas'  Elementary  French  Reader. 

Classic  French  Reader. 

De  Foe's  Robinson  Crusoe. 
De  Girardin's  Marguerite. 

Stories  of  ah  Old  Maid. 


De  Hart  on  Courts  Martial. 

De  L'Ardeche's  History  of  Napoleon, 

De  Peyrac's  Comment  on  Parle, 

De  Stii'jl's  Corinne,  ou  L'ltalie. 

De  Veitelle's  Mercantile  Dictionary, 

De  Vere's  Spanish  Grammar. 

Dew's  Historical  Digest. 

Dickens's  (Charles)  Works.  Original 
Illustrations.    24  vols. 

Dies  Irae  and  Stabat  Mater,  bound  to- 
gether. 

Dies  irae,  alone,  and  Stabat  Mater, 
alone. 

Dix's  (John  A.)  Winter  in  Madeira. 

Speeches  and  Addresses.    2  vols. 


D.  APPLET  ON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Dix's  (Hoy.  M.)  Lost  Unity  of  the 
Christian  World. 

Dr.  Oldham  at  Grej^stones,  and  his 
Talk  there. 

Doane's  Works.    4  vols. 

Dowiiing's  Rural  Architecture. 

Dr\-don's  Poems. 

Duulaps  Siiirit  History  of  Man. 

Dusseldorf  Gallery,  Gem-s  from  the. 

Dwiffht  on  the  Study  of  Art. 

Ebony  Idol  (The). 

Ede's  Management  of  Steel. 

Edith  Yaughan's  Victory. 

Egloflstein's  Geology  and  Physical 
Geography  of  Mexico. 

Eichhorn's  German  Grammar. 

Elliot's  Fine  Work  on  Birds.  7  parts, 
or  in  1  vol. 

Ellsworth's  Text-Book  of  Penman- 
ship. 

Ely's  Journal. 

Enfield's  Indian  Corn ;  its  Value,  Cul- 
ture, and  Uses. 

Estvan's  War  Pictures. 

Evans'  History  of  the  Shakers. 

Evelyn's  Life  of  Mrs.  Godolphin.  ' 

Everett's  Mount  Vernon  Papers. 

Fables,  Original  and  Selected, 

Farrai-'s  History  of  Free  Thought. 

Faustus. 

Fay's  Poems. 

Fenelon's  Telemaque. 

The  same,  in  2  vols. 

Teleraachus. 

Field's  Bertha  Percy. 

Field's  (M.)  City  Architecture, 

Figuier's  World  before  the  Deluge. 

Fireside  Library.    S  vols,  in  case. 

First  Thoughts. 

Fiji  and  the  Fijians. 

Flint's  Physiology  of  Man. 

Florian's  William  Tell. 

Flower  Pictures. 

Fontana's  Italian  Grammar, 

Foote's  Africa  and  the  American 
Flag. 

Foresti's  Italian  Extracts. 

Four  Gospels  (The). 

Franklin's  Man's  Cry  and  God's  Gra- 
cious Answer. 

Frieze's  Tenth  and  Twelfth  Books  of 
Quintilian. 

FuUerton's  (Lady  G.)  Too  Strange  Not 
to  be  True. 

Funny  Story  Book. 

Garland's  Life  of  Randolph. 
Gaskell's  Life  of  Bronte.    2  vols. 

The  same,  cheaper  edition,  in  1  vol. 
George  Ready. 
Gerard's  French  Readings. 
Gertrude's  Philip  Randolph. 
Gesenius'  Hebrew  Grammar. 
Ghostly  Colloquies. 


Gibbes'     Docimientary    History,     3 

vols. 
Gibbons'  Banks  of  New  York. 
Gilfillan's  Literary  Portraits. 
Gillespie  on  Land  Surveyinsr. 
Girardin  on  Dramatic  Literature, 
Goadby's  Text-Eook  of  Physiology, 
Goethe's  Iphigenia  in  Tauris, 
Goldsmith's  Essays. 

Vicar  of  Wakefleld. 


Gosse's  Evenings  with  the  Microscope, 

Goulburn's  Office  of  the  Holy  Com- 
munion. 

Idle  Word. 

Manual  of  Confirmation, 

Sermons. 

Study  of  the  Holy  Scriptures. 

Thoughts  on  Personal  Religion. 

Gould's  (E.  S.)  Comedy. 

Gould's  (W.  M.)  Zephyrs. 

Graham's  English  Synonymes. 

Grandmamma  Easy's  Toy  Books. 

Grandmother's  Library.  6  vols,  in 
case. 

Grand's  Spanish  Arithmetic. 

Grant's  Report  on  the  Armies  of  the 
United  States  1864-65. 

Grauet's  Portuguese  Grammar. 

Grayson's  Theory  of  Christianity. 

Greek  Testament. 

Greene's  (F.  H.)  Primary  Botany. 

Class-Book  of  Botany. 

Greene's  (G.  W.)  Companion  to  Ollen- 
dorff, 

First  Lessons  in  French. 

First  Lessons  in  Italian. 

Middle  Ages. 

Gregory's  Mathematics. 

GriHin  on  the  Gospel. 

Griffith's  Poems. 

Griswold's  Rei)ublican  Court. 

Sacred  Poets. 

Guizot's  (Madame)  Tales. 

Guizot's  (M.)  Civilization  in  Europe. 
4  vols, 

School  edition.    1  vol. 

New  Edition,  on  tinted  paper.    4 

vols. 

Gurowski's  America  and  Europe. 

Russia  as  it  is. 


Hadley's  Greek  Grammar. 
Hahn's  Greek  Testament. 
Hall's  (B.  H.)  Eastern  Vermont, 
Hall's  (C,  H.)  Notes  on  the  Gospels. 

2  vols. 
Hall's    (E.   H.)  Guide  to  the    Great 

West. 
Halleck's  Poems. 
Poems.      Pocket  size,  blue  and 

gold. 

Toung  America. 

Halleck's  (H.  W.)  Military  Science. 
Hamilton's  (Sir  Wm.)  Philosophy. 
Hamilton's  (A.)  Writings,     6  vols. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Iland-Books  on  Education, 

Hand-Book  of  Anglo-Saxon  Eoot- 

Words. 
Hand- Book  of  Anglo-Saxon  Deri- 
vatives. 
Hand-Book     of    tUe     Engrafted 
Words. 

Handy-Book  ot  Property  Law. 

Happy  Child's  Library.     18  vols,  in 
case. 

Harkness'  First  Greek  Book. 

Latin  Grammar. 

First  Latin  Book. 

Second        " 

Latin  Reader. 

Hase's  History  of  the  Chnrch. 

Haskell's  .  Housekeeper's     Encyclo- 
picdia. 

Ilassard's  Life  of  Archbishop  Hughes. 

Wreath  of  Beauty. 

Haupt  on  Bridge  Construction. 

Haven's  Where  There's  a  Will  There's 
a  Way. 

Patient  Waiting  no  Loss. 

Nothing  Venture  Nothing  Have. 

■ Out  of  Debt  Out  of  Danger. 

Contentment  Better  than  Wealth. 

No  Such  Word  as  Fail. 

All's  Not  Gold  that  Glitters, 

A    Place    for   Everything,    and 

Everything  in  its  Place. 

Loss  and  Gain. 

Pet  Bird. 

Home  Series  of  Juvenile  Books. 

8  vols,  in  case. 

Haven  (Memoir  of  Alice  B.). 

Hazard  on  the  Will. 

Hecker's  Questions  of  the  Soul. 

Hemans'  Poems.    2  vols. 

Songs  of  the  Affections. 

Henck's  Field-Book  for  Engineers. 

Henry  on  Human  Progress, 

Herbert's  Poems. 

Here  and  There. 

Herodotus,  by  Johnson  (in  Greek). 

Herodotus,  by  Kawlinson  (in  English). 
4  vols. 

Heydenreich's  German  Reader, 

Hickok's  Rational  Cosmology. 

Rational  Psychology. 

History  of  the  Rebellion,  Military  and 
Naval.     Hlustrated, 

Hoffman's  Poems. 

Holcombe's  Leading  Cases. 

Law  of  Dr.  and  Cr. 

Letters  in  Literature. 

Holly's  Country  Seats. 

Holmes'  (M.  A.)  Tempest  and  Sun- 
shine. 

English  Orphans. 

Holmes'  (A.)  Parties  and  Principles. 

Homes  of  American  Authors. 

Homer's  Hiad. 

Hooker's  Complete  Works.    2  vols. 

Hoppin's  Notes. 


Horace,  edited  by  Lincoln. 
Howitt's  Child's  Verse-Book. 

Juvenile  Tales.    14  vols,  in  case. 

How's  Historical  Shak spear ian  Reader. 

Shakspearian  Reader. 

Hue's  Tartary  and  China. 
Hudson's  Life  and  Adventures. 
Humboldt's  Letters. 
Hunt's  (C.  H.)  Life  of  Livingston. 
Hunt's  (F.  W.)  Historical  Atlas. 
Huntington's  Lady  Alice. 
Hutton's  Mathematics. 
Huxley's  Man's  Place  in  Nature. 
Origin  of  Species. 

Iconographic  Encyclopedia.    6  vols. — 
4  Text  and  2  Plates. 
Or,  separately : 
The  Countries  and  Cities  of  the 

World.    2  vols. 
The  Navigation  of  all  Ages.     2 

vols. 
The  Art  of  Building  in  Ancient 

and  Modern  Times.    2  vols. 
The  Religions  of  Ancient  and 

Modern  Times.     2  vols. 
The  Fine  Arts  Illustrated.    2 

vols. 
Technology  Illustrated.    2  vols. 
Internal  Revenue  Law. 
Iredell's  Life.     2  vols. 
Italian  Comedies. 

Jacobs'  Learning  to  Spell. 

The  same,  in  two  parts. 

Jaeger's  Class-Book  of  Zoology. 
Janies'  (J.  A.)  Young  Man. 
James'  (H.)  Losic  of  Creation. 
James'  (G.  P.  R.)  Adi-ien. 
Jameson's  (Mrs.)  Art  Works. 

Legends  of  Saints  and  Martyrs. 

2  vols. 

Legends  of  the  Monastic  Orders. 

Legends  of  the  Madonna. 

History  of  Our  Lord.    2  vols. 

Jarvis'  Reply  to  Milner. 
Jay  on  American  Agriculture. 
Jeffers  on  Gunnery. 
Jeffrey's  (F.)  Essays. 
Johnson's  Meaning  of  Words. 
Johnson's  (Samuel)  Rasselas. 
Johnston's    Chemistry    of    Common 
Life.    2  vols. 

Kavanagh's  A  dele. 

Beatrice. 

Daisy  Bums. 

Grace  Lee. 

Madeleine, 

Nathalie. 

Rachel  Gray, 

Seven  Years, 

Queen  Mab.  ^ 

Women  of  Christianity. 

Keats'  Poems, 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Keep  a  Goofl  Heart. 

Keiichtkw's  Mythology. 

Keil's  Fairy  Stories.  " 

Keith  piomoir  of  Caroline  P.) 

Kendrlck's  Greek  Ollemlorff. 

Kenny's  Manual  of  Chess. 

Kinglake's    Crimean    War.      Yols,  1 

and  2. 
Kirke  White's  Poems. 
Klrkland's  Life  of  Washington. 

A  Cheaper  Edition,  for  Schools. 
KnoVles'  Orlean  Lamar. 
Koei)f)en's  Middle  Ages. 

Separately — Middle  Ages,  2  vols. 

Atlas. 

Kohlrausch's  History  of  Germany. 
Kuliner's  Greek  Grammar. 

Lafever's  Beauties  of  xirchitecture. 
Lady  Alice. 
'  Lamartine's  Confidential  Disclosures. 

History  of  Tm-key.    3  vols. 

Lancelott's  Queens  of  England,  and 

their  Times.     2  vols." 
Landon's  (L.  E.)  Complete  Works. 
Latham's  English  Language. 
Layard's  Nineveh.     Illustrated. 
Cheap    edition.     Without    Illus- 
trations. 
Learning  to  Spell. 
Le  Brun's  Telemaque. 
Lecky's  Rise  and  Influence  of  Eation- 

alism.    2  vols. 
Le  Sage's  Adventures  of  Gil  Bias.    1 

vol. 

Gil  Bias,  in  Spanish. 

Letter  Writer. 

Letters  from  Rome. 

Levres'  (G.  H.)  History  of  Philosophy. 

2  vols. 

In  1  vol. 

Physiolosv  of  Common  Life. 

Library  of  Travel  and  Adventure.    3 

vols,  in  case. 
Library  for  my  Young  Countrymen, 

9  vols,    in  case. 
Libro  Priniario  de  Ortografia, 
Liebig's  Laws  of  Husbandry. 
Life    of    Man     Symbolized    by    the 

Months  of  the  Year. 
Light  and  Darkness 
Lights  and   Shadows  of  New  York 

Picture  Galleries, 
Lindsay's  Poems, 
Linn's  Life  and  Services. 
Little  Builder. 
Little  Engineer. 
Livy,  witii  English  Notes. 
Locan's  Chateau  Frissac. 
Looking  Glass  for  the  Mind. 
Lord's  Poems. 

Christ  in  Hades :  a  Poem. 

Louise.  ^ 

Lunt's  Origin  of  the  Late  War. 

Xiyell's  Elements  of  Geology. 


Lyeirs  Principles  of  Geology. 
Lyra  Americana. 
Lyra  Anglicana. 

Macaulay's  Essays.    1  vol. 

Essays.    7  vols. 

Essays.    A  New  and  Revised  Edi- 
tion, on  tinted  paper.     6  vols. 
Mackintosh's  (Sir  James)  Essays. 
Madso. 
Mahan's  Answer  to  Colenso. 

Numerals  of  Scripture. 

]\Iahon's  England.    2  vols. 

Plain's  Novum  Testamentum  Gr.nece. 

Mandeville's  New  Series  of  Readers. 

1.  Primary  Reader. 

2.  Second  Reader. 

3.  Third  Reader. 

4.  Fourth  Reader. 

5.  Fifth  Reader. 
Mandeville's  Course  of  Reading. 

Reading  and  Oratory. 

First  Spanish  Reader. 

Second  Spanish  Reader. 

Third  Spanish  Reader. 

Ma^nall's  Historical  Questions. 
Man's  Cr}'  and  God's  Gracious  Answer. 
Manners'  At  Home  and  Abroad. 
Sedgemoor. 

Manning's  "Temporal  Mission  of  the 
Holy  Ghost. 

The  Reunion  of  Christendom. 

Manual  of  Matrimony. 

Markham's  History  of  England. 

Marrayafs  Africa. 

Masterman  Ready. 

Popular  Novels.     12  vols. 

A  New  and  Revised  Edition, 

printed  on  tinted  paper    12 
vols. 

Man-vat's  Settlers  in  Canada. 

Marshall's  (E.  C.^,  Book  of  Oratory, 

First  Book  of  Oratory. 

Marshall's  (T.  W.)  Notes  on  Episco- 
pacy. 

Marsh's  Double  Entry  Book-keeping. 

Single  Entry  Book-keeping. 

Bank  Book-keepinc. 

Book-keeping  (in  Spanish). 

Blank  Books  for  Double  Entry. 

6  books  in  set. 

Do.  for  Single  Entry.    6  books  in 

set. 

Martha's  Hooks  and  Eyes. 

Martineau's  Crofton  Boys. 
Peasant  and  Prince. 


^lary  Lee. 

Mary  Staunton. 

Mathews  on  Whist. 

Mayhew's  Hlustrated  Horse  DoctO 

May's  Bertram  Noel. 

Louis'  School  Days. 

Mortimer's  College  Life. 

Sunshine  of  Greystone. 

McCormick's  Visit  to  SebastopoL 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATION'S. 


Mcintosh's  Aunt  Kitty's  Tales. 

. Charms  and  Counter  Charms. 

Evcnins's  at  Donaldson  Manor. 

Loity  and  Lowly.     2  vols. 

Maggie  and  Emma. 

:Meta  Gray. 

Two  Lives. 

Two  Pictures. 

New  <J  uvenile  Library.    T  vols. 

in  case. 
McLee's  Alphabets. 
McWhorter's  Church  Essays. 
Meadows'  Italian  Dictionary. 
Memoirs  of  Catharine  11. 
Merchant  of  Venice. 
Merivale's  History  of  the  Eomans.    T 
vols. 
Conversion  of  the  Eoman  Empire. 
"  "       Northern   'Na- 

tions. 
Merry  Christmas  Book. 
Michelet's  France.    2  vols. 
Milhouse's  Italian  Dictionary.    2  vols. 
Mill's  Political  Economy.    2  vois. 
Milledulcia. 
Milton's,  Poems. 

Paradise  Lost. 

Miniature  Library.    27  voli 
Ministry  of  Life.' 
Minturn's  Travels  in  India. 
Modern  British  Essayists.    8  vols. 

Model's  Light. 

Moore's  EeVolutionaiy  Ballads. 

Moore's  (George    II.)  Notes   on  the 
,     History   of   Slavery  in  Massa- 
chusetts. 

Moore's  (Thos.)  Irish  Melodies. 

Moore's  (;Tho3.)  Memoirs  and  Journal. 
2  vols. 

Lallah  Eookb. 

Poems.    1  vol.,  cheap  edition. 

^ Do.,  on  fine  tinted  paper. 

Morales'  Spanish  Header. 

Moran  on  Money. 

More's  Practical  Piety.     2  vols. 

Private  Devotions. 

Domestic  Tales. 

Pairal  Talcs. 

Villaire  Tales.    2  vols,  in  1. 

Morin's  Practical  Mechanics. 

Morphy's  Chess  Games. 

Triumphs. 

Mullisran's  English  Grammar. 

My  Cave  Life  in  Vicksburg. 

Napoleon  Bonaparte,  by  F.  de  I'Ar- 
deche. 

Napoleon  Correspondence.    2  vols. 

New  Fairy  Stories. 

Newcomb  on  Financial  Policy. 

Newman's  Apologia  Pro  Yita  Sua. 

' Sermons. 

New  Testament,  with  engravings  on 
wood  from  designs  "by  the  an- 
cient masters.    1  vol. 


New  Testament,  with  Comment  by  E. 

Churton  and  W.  B.  ooucn.    ? 

vols. 
New  York  City  Banks. 
New  York  Picture  Galleries. 
Nightcap  Serieb  of  Juveniles.    6  vols. 

in  case. 
Nightingale  on  Nursing. 
Novum      Testamentum,     interpret*. 

Beza. 
Nueva  Biblioteca  de  la  Risa. 
Nuovo  Tesoro  di  Schergos. 
Nursery  Basket. 

O'Callaghan's   N«w   Netherlands.     2 

vols. 
Qlhlschlager's  German  Eeader. 
Ogilby  on  Lay  Baptism. 
Oldfellow's  Uncle  Nat. 
Oliphant's  Katmandu. 
Ollendorff's    English    Grammar    for 
Spaniards. 
A  Key  to  the  Exercises. . 

English  Grammar  for  Germans. 

A  Key  to  the  Exercises. 

French  Grammar,  by  Jewett. 

A  Key  to  the  Exercises. 

French  Grammar,  by  Value. 

A  Key  to  the  Exercises. 

French  Grammar  for  Spaniards. 

Key-  to  the  same. 

German  Grammar. 

A  Key  to  the  Exercises. 

Italian  Grammar. 

A  Key  to  the  Exercises. 

Spanish  Grammar. 

A  Key  to  the  Exercises. 
Ortografia. 

Ordronaux'  Hints  on  Health. 
Oriental  Library.     5  vols,  in  case. 
Osgood's  Hearthstone. 

Mile  Stones. 

Ostervald's  Nouveau  Testament. 
Otis'  Landscapes.    1  vol. 

The  same,  in  6  parts. 

Studies  of  Animals.    1  vol. 

Studies  of  Animals.    6  parts. 

Overman's  Metallurgy. 
Owen's  (Jno.  J.)  Acts  of  the  Apos- 
tles. 

Greek  Eeader. 

Homer's  Odyssey. 

Homer's  Iliad. 

Thucydides. 

Xenophon's  Anabasis. 

Xenophon's  Cyropaxlia. 

Owen's  Penmanship.    S  books. 

Paez'  Geografia  del  Mundo. 

Pages  and  Pictures.     From  the  writ- 
ings of  James  Fcnimore  Cooper. 

Paine's  Tent  and  Harem. 

Palenzuela's  Gramatica  Inglesa. 
Key  to  the  same. 

Palmer  s  Book-keeping. 


D,  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Parker's  Critical  and   Miscellaneous 

Writings. 
Speeches     and     Addresses.      3 

vols. 

Additional  Speeches.    2  vols. 

Sermons  of  Theism. 

Ten  Sermons. 

Trial  and  Defence. 

Two  Christmas  Celebrations. 

AVorks.     2  vols. 

(Life  of  Theodore).     2  vols. 

Parlej^'s  Fagcrots  for  the  Fireside. 

Present  for  all  Seasons. 

Parley's  Wanderers  by  Sea  and  Land. 
Patton's  History  of  the  United  States. 
Paul  and  Virginia. 
Pearson  on  the  Creed. 
Perkins'  Primary  Arithmetic. 

Elementary  Arithmetic. 

Practical  Arithmetic. 

The  same,  in  Spanish. 

A  Key  to  Practical  Arithmetic. 

Higher  Arithmetic. 

Algebra. 

Higher  Algebra. 

Geometry. 

Higher  Geometry. 

Plane  Trigonometry. 

Perry's  Americans  in  Japan. 

Expedition  to  the  China  Seas  and 

Japan. 
Petit's  Household  Mysteries. 
Peyrac's  Comment  on  Parle  a  Paris. 
Ph'elan  on  Billiards. 
Pha?nixiana. 

Picture  Gallery,  in  Spanish. 
Pickell's  Narrative.     History  of  the 

Potomac  Company. 
Planches'  Lead  Diseases. 
Plato's  Apology. 
Poetical  Gems.  Blue  and  Gold.  6  vols. 

in  case. 
Poets'  Gallery. 
Pollok's  Poems. 
Pomeroy's  Municipal  Law. 
Pope's  Poems. 
Porter's  Scottish  Chiefs. 
Portraits  of  my  Married  Friends. 
Practical  Cook  Book. 
Pratt's  Dawnings  of  Genius. 
Prince  Charlie. 
Pulpit    Cyclop?edia    and     Minister's 

Companion. 
Punch's  Pocket-Book  of  Fun. 
Punchinello. 
Pure  Gold. 
Pusey's  Eirenicon. 
Putz's  Ancient  Geography. 

Mediaeval  Geography. 

Modern  Geography. 

Quackenbos'  First  Book  in  English 
Grammar. 

English  Grammar. 

T First  Lessons  on  Composition. 


Quackenbos'    Advanced    Course    of 
Composition  and  Ehetoric. 

Natural  Philosophy. 

Primary  History. 

History  of  the  United  States. 

Primary  Arithmetic. 

Elementary  Arithmetic. 

Practical  Arithmetic. 


Queens  of  England :  a  Series  of  Por- 
traits. 

Railway  Anecdote  Book. 

Rawlinson's  Herodotus.    4  vols. 

Recreative  Readinss  in  French. 

Reid's  English  Dictionary. 

Reminiscences  of  a  Zouave. 

Replies  to  Essays  and  Reviews. 

Republican  Court. 

Report  on  the  Hygienic  Condition  of 
New  York  City. 

Report  of  the  United  States  Revenue 
Commission. 

Reynard  the  Fox.  After  the  version  of 
Goethe. 

Reynolds  on  Hand-Railings. 

Rice's  (Harvey)  Poems. 

Richards'  At  Home  and  Abroad. 

Pleasm-e  and  Profit. 

Harry's  Vacation. 

Electron. 

Ricord's  Youth's  Grammar. 

Ripalda's  Spanish  Catechism. 

Robbins'  Book  of  Poetry. 

Guide  to  Knowledge. 

Robertson's  English  Course  for  Spen- 
iards.  with  Key. 

Roemer's  First  French  Reader. 

Second  French  Reader. 

Polyglot  Readers— comprising 

English  Text;  French,  Ger- 
man, Spanish,  and  Italian 
Translations. 

Rosa  Mystica. 

Rosales'  Caton  Christiana. 

Round  the  Block. 

Rowan's  French  Reader. 

— —  French  Revolution.     2  vols. 

Royo's  Instruccion  Moral. 

St.  Pierre's  Paul  and  Virginia. 
Saintaine's  Picciola.    (In  French.) 
Sallust.  with  Notes. 
Sampson's  Brief  Remarker. 
Sandham's  Twin  Sisters. 
Sanitary  Condition  of  New  York. 
Sarmiento's  Lectura  Gradual. 
Savarin's  Hand-Book  of  Dining. 
Schedel's  Emancipation  of  Faith.    2 

vols. 
Schmidt's  Ancient  Geography. 
Schmucker's    History    of    the    Four 

Georges. 
Schwegler's  History  of  Philosophy. 
Scott's^Lady  of  the  Lake. 
Lay  of  the  Last  Minstrel. 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO.'S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Scott's  Marmion. 

Poems,  16mo. 

Poems,  8vo. 

Scott's  Soldier's  Book. 
Seoano  and  Neuman's  Spanisli  Dic- 
tionary. 

Tlie  same,  abridged. 

Sermons  by  the  Paulists. 
Sewell's  Amy  Herbert. 

Cleve  Hall. 

Earl's  Daughter. 

. Experience  of  Life. 

Glimpse  of  the  "World, 

Gertrude. 

Ivors.    2  vols. 

Katharine  Ashton. 

Laneton  Parsonage, 


2  vols. 
3  vols. 
2  vols. 


Margaret  Percival 

School  Journal. 

Ursula.    2  vols. 

Sewell's  Early  Church. 

Night  Lessons. 

Passing  Thoughts. 

Principles  of  Education. 

History  of  Kome. 

History  of  Greece. 

Sewell's  (R.)   Boimty,  Pension,   and 

Prize  Laws. 
Shader's  Copy-Books. 
Shakspeare's  Works.  1  thick  vol.,  Svo. 

Works.    2  vols.,  Svo. 

Works.    1  vol..  Svo. 

Works.    4  vols.,  Svo. 

Shakspeare  Gallery. 

Tempest.     Hlustrated. 

Sherbrooke.    By  H.  F.  G.  Author  of 

"  Madge." 
Sherlock's  Practical  Christian. 

Sigourney's  Letters  of  Life. 

Silber's  Progressive  Lessons  in  Greek, 

Silver's  Answer  to  Coleuso. 

Symbolic  Character. 

Simonnc's  French  Grammar  for  Span- 
iards. 

Key  to  the  same. 

French  Verbs. 

Sketches  and  Skeletons  of  Sermons. 

Smith's  (A.)  Astronomy,  in  Spanish. 

Geosraphy,  in  Spanish. 

Smith's  (H.)  Gaieties  and  Gravities. 

Smith's  (J.)  Life. 

Smith's  (.T.W.)  Mercantile  Law. 

Smith's  (P.)  Universal  History.  8  vols. 

Smith's  (S.)  Works. 

Smoker's  Text-Book. 

Southard  on  Godliness. 

Southey's  Oliver  Cromwell. 

Poems. 

The  same,  cheap  edition, 

Southgate's  Syrian  Church. 

Souvestre's  Attic  Philosopher. 

. Family  Journal. 

Soyer's  Modern  Cookery. 

Spalding  on  English  Literature. 

Speckter's  Picture  Fables. 


Spectator  (The).    6  vols. 

Spencer's  Classification  of  the  Sciences. 

Education. 

Essays :     Moral,   Political,    and 

J^lsthetic. 

First  Principles. 

Illustrations  of  Progress. 

Social  Statics. 

Works.    5  vols. 

Psychology. 

Biology.    Vol.  L 

Spenser's  Poems. 

Spiers'  (Jewett)  French  and  English 
Dictionary. 

School  French  and  English  DiC' 

tionary. 

Spiers'    and   Surenne's    French   Dic- 
tionary. 

New  Abridged  Edition. 

Spiritual    Conceits.     Extracted  "from 
the  writings  of  the  Fathers. 

Sprasuc's  History  of  the  Florida  War. 

Stabat  Mater. 

Steam's  Shakspeare's  Medical  Knowl- 
edge. 

Stratford"  Gallery. 

Strickland's   Queens   of  England:   a 
Series  of  Portraits. 

Story  of  a  Genius. 

Surenne's  French  Dictionary. 
New  French  Manual. 


Sutton's  Learn  to  Live. 

Swarts'  Letters. 

Swett  on  Consumption. 

Tacitus'  Histories,  by  Tyler. 

Germania  and  Agricola. 

Tales  for  the  People. 
Talfonrds  and  Stephens'  Essays. 
Tappau's  Elements  of  Logic. 

Travels  in  Euro])e.    2  vols. 

Tasso.  by  Wiflen. 

Taylor  (Jeremy)  on  Episcopacy. 

Holy  Living  and  Dying. 

Taylor's  (W.  C.)  Manual  of  History. 
Separate :  Ancient  History. 

Modern  IHstory. 
Tesg's  Chronology. 
Templeton's  Millwright's  Companion. 
Thackeray  the  Humourist  and  the  Man 

of  Letters. 

Barry  Lyndon.    2  vols. 

Book  of  Snobs. 

Mr.  Brown's  Letters. 

Fitz-Boodle. 

Jeames'  Diary. 

Men's  Wives. 

Paris  Sketch-Book. 

Punch's  Novelist. 

Shabby  Genteel  Story. 

Yellowplush  Papers. 

Works.     G  vols. 

Dr.  Birch. 

Thiers'  French  Pevolution.    4  vols. 
Cheap  Edition.    2  vols. 


10 


D.  APPLETON  &  CO'.S  PUBLICATIONS. 


Thomson's  Seasons. 

Thorpt-'s  Bee-Hunter. 

Thoughts  in  Affliction. 

Tin  Trumpet. 

Tokens  of  Atfection.    5  vols. 

Tolon's  Spanish  Iteader. 

Towle's  History  o)  Henry  the  Fifth. 

Treasury  of  Travel  and  Adventure. 

Trench  on  the  Miracles. 

"      Parables. 

"  "       Condensed. 

Trescotfs  Diplomacy. 
Trm-an4)n  Iron  Manufacture. 
Tyndall  on  Heat  and  Motion, 
On  lladiation. 

Tyng's  Four  Gospels. 

Uhlcmann's  Syriac  Grammar. 

Uncle  John's  Library.    6  vols,  in  case. 

Upf(Jd's  Manual  of  Devotions. 

Ure's  Dictionary,  Avith  Supplement,  3 

vols. 
Supplement  separately. 

Yandenhoff's  Note  Book. 
Vaughan's  lievolutions  of  Eaco. 
Velazquez'  Spanish  Dictionary. 

Abridged. 

• Spanish  Conversations. 

. Spanish  Reader. 

Vignettes  (Cooper's),  from  Drawings 

by  F.  O.  C.  Darley. 
Villas  on  the  Hudson. 
Virgil's  J^ncM. 
Virginia  Comedians.    2  vols. 
Voltaire's  Charles  XII.,  in  French. 

Wainwright's  Sermons. 
Walworth's  Gentle  Skeptic. 
"Ward's  Lvrical  Eeereations. 
Ward's  Naval  Tactics. 
Warner's  (A.  B.)  My  Brother's  Keeper. 
Warner's  (Miss)  Hills  of  the  Shatemuc. 
Warner's  (J.  F.)  Lessons  in  Music. 
Watson's  Men  and  Times. 
Watt's  (James)  Life, 
Waverley  Gallery. 

Webst(>r's  Spelling  Book.  New  Edition 
Webster's    Quarto    Dictionary,    Un- 
abridged. 

Primary  Dictionary. 

Common  School  Dictionary, 

High  School  Dictionary. 

Academic  Dictionary. 

Counting-House    and    Family 

Dictionary. 

Pocket  Dictionary. 

Week's  Delight. 
Welbv's  Poems. 

Wells'  Things  Not  Generally  Known. 
Wentz's  Smiles  and  Frowns. 
Whewell's  Inductive  Sciences.  2  vols. 
Whist,  by  Ccelebs. 

White's  (Rev.  J.)  Eighteen  Christian 
Centuries. 


White's  (Rev.  J.)  History  of  France, 
White's  (R,  G.)  Shakspcare's  Scholar. 
White's  (Kirke>  Poems. 
Whitehead's   History  of   Perth  Am- 

boy. 

New  Jersey. 

Whitney's  Poems'. 

Whiton's  First  Lessons  in  Greek. 

Wife's  Stratagem. 

Wight's  Translation  of  Cousin. 

^ —  Edition  of  Hamilton. 

Williams'   Isthmus    of   Tehuantepec. 

2  vols. 
Wilmott's  Summer  Journal. 
Wilson's  Sacra  Pi-ivata. 
Wilson's  (Prof.  John)  Essays. 
Wilson's  (J.)  Price  Book. 
Wilson's    (Rev.  W.  D.)    Treatise  on 

Logic. 
Winkleman's  French  Syntax. 
Winslow's  Moral  Philosophy. 
Winter  Evening  Library.    S  vols,  in 

case. 
Woman's  Worth. 
Wood's  Marrying  Too  Late. 
Wood  (J.  G.)  Homes  without  Hands. 
World-Noted  Women. 
Worthen's  Rudimentary  Drawing. 

First  Lessons  in  Mechanics. 

Wright's  (A.  D.)  Primary  Lesspns. 
Wright's  (J.  H.)  Ocean  Work.  ■ 
Wyatt's  Christian  Altar. 

Xenophon's  Anabasis,  by  Boise, 
Memorabilia,  by  Robbins. 

Tonge's  Beechcroft. 

Bon  Sylvester's  Word. 

Castle'Buiklers. 

Clever  Woman  of  the  Family. 

Daisy  Chain.    2  vols. 

The  Trial. 

Dynevor  Terrace.    2  vols, 

Friarswood  Post  Office, 

Heartsease.    2  vols. 

Heir  of  R(  djclyffe.    2  vols. 

Hopes  and  icars. 

Kenneth. 

Lances  of  Lynwood. 

Richard  the  Fearless. 

Stokcsley  Secret. 

Two  Guardians. 

Young  Stepmother.    2  vols. 

The  Dove  in  the  Eagle's  Nest. 

Young  American's  Library.     9  vols, 

in  case. 
Youmans'  Alcohol  and  Man. 

Class-Eook  of  Chemistry. 

Chart  of  Chemistry,  on  roller. 

Chemical  Atlas. 

Household  Science, 

Young's  Poems. 
Youth's  Book  of  Nature. 

Zsehokke's  Goldraaker's  Village, 


Date  Due 


